By Mary Hladky
Boca Raton City Council member Yvette Drucker has dropped her bid for a state Senate seat to run for Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller in the November 2026 election.
Drucker’s Aug. 21 announcement came shortly after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Republican state Rep. Mike Caruso to replace Democrat Joe Abruzzo, who had served as clerk and comptroller since 2020. Abruzzo was selected by Palm Beach County commissioners in June to be the county administrator.
Caruso, of Delray Beach, has said he will run to retain the position in the 2026 election. The DeSantis ally is the first Republican to hold the job.
Drucker, a Democrat and former deputy mayor, had joined the 2026 race to succeed term-limited state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, in May and would have faced state Rep. David Silvers, D-Lake Clarke Shores, in the Democratic primary.
“I am proud of my reputation for commonsense approaches to major issues, managing relationships across the political aisle, and working with partners across municipal bodies,” Drucker said in her announcement.
“Serving as Clerk would allow me to continue that work on a broader scale by ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly, services are delivered efficiently, and county government remains transparent and accessible.”
She praised Abruzzo, who she said has “set a powerful example of what good government looks like, and I hope to continue his legacy of strong fiscal management. That includes preserving Palm Beach County’s role as the largest investor of Israel bonds in the world, which reflects both our shared values and our commitment to smart, long-term investments.”
Drucker was elected to the nonpartisan City Council in 2021 and won reelection with 77% of the vote in March. She is term-limited from running again.
She is a first-generation Cuban American who had worked at ADP TotalSource, focusing on compliance, human resources and strategic management. She also is a longtime volunteer with many organizations, including the Junior League of Boca Raton.
She currently serves on the executive board of the Palm Beach County Transportation Planning Agency and is involved with the Florida League of Cities and National League of Cities.
Caruso, a certified public accountant, won House District 89 in 2018 by a scant 32 votes and cruised to reelection with 56% of the vote two years later. The district then included the barrier island from Boca Raton north to Singer Island.
After district boundaries were redrawn for 2022, Caruso shifted to District 87, which includes Manalapan, Lantana and South Palm Beach. He again won handily with 59% of the vote.
During his seven years in the House, Caruso was most proud of his efforts to clean up the sober home industry, fight antisemitism and advance tort reform to stabilize the insurance industry.
“I look forward to bringing the same dedication, integrity, and results-driven approach I’ve shown in the legislature to the Clerk’s Office,” Caruso said. “Palm Beach County deserves the most transparent, efficient, and fraud-free system of public service.”
Caruso’s wife, Tracy, mounted an unsuccessful campaign to become Delray Beach mayor in 2021 and had already announced her intention to run for her husband’s House seat next year.
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