After monthslong vacancy, HD 87 voters to choose nominees in Special Primary

Voters in House District 87 head to the polls on Tuesday to choose Democratic and Republican nominees in a Special Primary Election that has been in the works for many months.

The coastal Palm Beach County district has been without representation since August, when Republican Rep. Mike Caruso resigned to assume the role of Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller. The prolonged vacancy — and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ delay in calling a Special Election — became a central issue in the race itself.

DeSantis ultimately set a Jan. 13 Primary and a March 24 Special General Election, meaning the District will not hold a vote in Tallahassee during the 2026 Legislative Session. That reality has loomed over the contest, particularly on the Democratic side, where one candidate sought to force the Governor’s hand through the courts.

Two Democrats and two Republicans are competing Tuesday for their respective party nominations in a district that has leaned Republican in recent cycles but that Democrats view as competitive, particularly under Special Election conditions.

On the Democratic side, the Primary pits Emily Gregory against Laura Levites.

Gregory, a Jupiter-based small-business owner and public health professional, has been the most visible Democrat in the race since the vacancy occurred. She drew attention in October when she filed a lawsuit seeking to compel DeSantis to call a Special Election, arguing that HD 87 voters were being denied representation as lawmakers prepared to convene in Tallahassee.

The lawsuit was ultimately rendered moot by the Governor’s executive order setting election dates.

Gregory has focused on public education funding, health care access and property insurance costs. She entered the final stretch of the Primary with a clear fundraising advantage on the Democratic side. Gregory raised more than $101,000 through Jan. 8 and spent nearly $49,000, both outpacing her opponent.

Levites, a Lake Worth Beach resident and first-time candidate, has pitched herself as a community advocate and political outsider. Her campaign has focused heavily on cost-of-living pressures, such as property insurance premiums and housing affordability. Levites has also leaned into environmental issues and local infrastructure concerns, including flooding and traffic congestion.

Levites has run a lower-dollar campaign, adding no campaign contributions and loaning her campaign just $450.

The Republican Primary has arguably drawn more attention, with Jon Maples facing Gretchen Miller Feng.

Maples, a Palm Beach Gardens financial planner, entered the race early and quickly consolidated support from Republican leadership. He secured backing from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and a slate of GOP lawmakers, and later landed an endorsement from former President Donald Trump — a significant asset in a Republican Primary, even in a coastal district with a more moderate reputation.

Maples has run as a reliable conservative aligned with Trump-era priorities, emphasizing fiscal restraint, opposition to tax increases, and a pro-business climate.

With party support behind him, Maples has built the largest war chest in the Republican field, raising more than $278,000 between his campaign account and his political committee, Friends of Jon Maples, plus adding another $14,000 in candidate loans. He has spent nearly $157,00 as of Jan. 8.

Feng, a paralegal and regulatory consultant from West Palm Beach, has cast herself as an outsider running against party insiders. She has focused her campaign on affordability, opposition to unchecked growth and outrage over the district being unrepresented during the 2026 Session. Feng has not matched Maples’ fundraising, raising just over $12,000 in total and spending nearly $11,000.

HD 87 runs up the coast of Palm Beach County, spanning Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno Beach and Hypoluxo.