Jesse Scheckner
Joe Casello doesn’t plan to leave politics when he reaches term limits in the House next year. He’s running for the Palm Beach County Commission, where he hopes to succeed Gregg Weiss.
Casello, a Boynton Beach Democrat, just announced his candidacy for the County Commission’s District 2 seat, which Weiss confirmed he’ll vacate for a run at the West Palm Beach mayoralty.
Ten current and former elected officials and six union groups are already endorsing Casello, who entered the race Friday with more than $107,000 in rolled-over campaign cash in his JC PAC political committee.
“I am honored to have the privilege of serving the people of Palm Beach County, and I am overwhelmed by the early support from so many to continue my work as a County Commissioner,” Casello said in a statement.
“Our community deserves strong, experienced leadership, and I am ready to bring my knowledge, dedication, and passion to serve District 2.”
Casello’s first round of endorsements include nods from U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, state Sens. Lori Berman and Tina Scott Polsky, state Reps. Kelly Skidmore and Debra Tendrich, Palm Beach Public Defender Daniel Eisenger, former Public Defender Carey Haughwout, former Palm Beach School Board member Alexandria Ayala and former Boynton Beach Commissioner Justin Katz.
Delray Beach Commissioner Rob Long, who last week launched a campaign to succeed Casello in House District 90, is also backing Casello.
So is the Palm Beach County Firefighters union, Fraternal Order of Police, Police Benevolent Association, Palm Beach — Treasure Coast AFL-CIO and Palm Beach Classroom Teachers Association, a press note from Casello’s campaign said.
Casello, who turns 73 Thursday, was a public servant long before he won elected office. For well over a decade, he worked as a firefighter, active union member and non-commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He was a small-business owner for nearly a quarter-century, operating Casello Electric Services.
Currently, he serves as Chair of the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation and as a member of the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission.
His political career began in 2013, when he was elected to the Boynton Beach Commission. He was re-elected to the City Commission in 2017 before mounting a successful bid for HD 90.
He won re-election in November, nine months after suffering from a mild stroke, with 56% of the vote.
As a state lawmaker, he successfully passed legislation to require local police to develop special policies for missing adults with disabilities, update the Florida Retirement System, increase transparency in commercial airport contracts and clarify firefighters’ rights during informal inquiries, among other measures.
Casello already has an opponent. Late last month, West Palm Beach Commissioner Joe Peduzzi announced he is running for District 2. The 54-year-old Democratic lawyer carries endorsements from all five of his City Commission colleagues.
The 2026 Primary is on Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.
