Speaker-designate Sam Garrison ‘stunned’ by racist campaigning in HD 87

House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison is weighing in on a race-baiting text message that went out to voters in House District 87 showing Republican candidate Jon Maples sitting in a chair in front of a rundown motel in an obviously artificial image.

Garrison said he was stunned when he saw screenshots of the text, describing it as a “13 on a scale of 10” for disgusting campaigning tactics.

More than that though, he’s disgusted that it was “done with the tacit knowledge” of Democrat Emily Gregory’s campaign.

“It just blew my mind,” he told Florida Politics, adding that Maples has “bent over backwards to do the right thing” only to have racist propaganda shared against him.

Maples also weighed in.

“I set out to run a positive campaign focused on the issues that matter to our community,” Maples wrote. “For those that are asking, yes I received the text and graphic. Yes, it’s offensive.”

But he sent a message of rising above.

“We are called to be the light in dark places. That’s how I started this race, and that’s how we’re going to finish it,” Maples continued, adding his thanks for supporters’ “love and support.”

At issue is a text message that was sent Thursday, just days ahead of Tuesday’s Special Election in the Palm Beach County-based district, attempting to spotlight residency questions that have come up in the race. Critics claim Maples lives outside the district and is using a false address in the district. The ad depicts a cheap, rundown motel, but the address listed for Maples in election documents is an apartment complex, a distinction the text did not include.

It’s clear the Gregory campaign, at a minimum, had knowledge of the text or, at a maximum, collaborated on it. Gregory uses a political consultant, Blue Velocity Consulting, that is also being paid by the group that funded the text, Lift-Off Florida.

Now, Florida Politics has learned Blue Velocity Consulting also works for incoming House Democratic Leader Christine Hunschofsky, with campaign finance records showing payments from her campaign to the consultant.

As incoming leader, she handles House campaigns, meaning she either knew, or should have known, about the campaign strategy.

“To see a dark money group race-baiting, while pretending to be Republicans, the hypocrisy is just rank,” Garrison said, referencing the text attacking Maples for purportedly pushing “higher taxes” (more on that later). Garrison also gave a nod to the idea that Democrats pride themselves on being the party most opposed to racism while here being complicit in campaign messaging that was, in itself, racist.

“We’re all big boys and girls in The Process, so if this is what the FDP wants to be associated with, that’s on them,” Garrison added. “They can avow or disavow the content, but it should be very clear to the voters of House District 87 where this party stands.”

Beyond the racist imagery in the text sent earlier this week, it also contained some misleading points. First, the claim that Maples lives outside the district has not been proven, and Maples has consistently disputed the claim. Further, Maples also has long-standing ties to the district, including owning a business there and attending Palm Beach Atlantic University. Sources close to Maples say he also recently closed on a home in Jupiter’s Abacoa community.

The text also includes claims that Maples “voted to raise taxes in 2023, 2024 and 2025,” which is false.

And the text notes that Maples used to be a Democrat, which is true but not a secret. Maples has acknowledged that he registered as a Democrat when he was a young voter. He later switched parties and became involved in GOP politics, leading to him being elected as a Donald Trump delegate at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Moreover, Maples has an endorsement from Trump himself along with support from Attorney General James Uthmeier, a staunch conservative. The icing on the cake: Maples will be a guest at Mar-a-Lago Friday night to attend the Palm Beach Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner.

Maples and Gregory are running to succeed former Rep. Mike Caruso, who resigned his seat to become the county’s Clerk and Comptroller. The seat has been vacant since he left office in August.

HD 87 has been trending Republican, with Caruso winning his most recent re-election campaign by 19 points in 2024, an overperformance even compared to Trump, who carried the district by just 9 points.

Maples has a significant edge both in cash and support. The most recent data available shows his campaign and affiliated political committee have collectively raised $290,000, and added another $14,000 in self-loans. He recently told POLITICO that haul has since grown to $440,000.

And he has amassed plenty of outside backing, including $184,000 worth of in-kind support from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee.

Gregory, meanwhile, has raised just $176,000, with another $82,000 in in-kind support. She has said with political committee funds, her total fundraising was more in the ballpark of $325,000, making her financially competitive with Maples, though still trailing in the money game.

But no matter where the race stands on paper, campaigns can draw contrasts without resorting to racially charged imagery or false claims.