Democrat Emily Gregory Flips Trump-Endorsed Florida House District Including Mar-a-Lago
Emily Gregory, a Democrat and small-business owner, flipped Florida House District 87 — which includes Mar-a-Lago — defeating Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples; the Associated Press called the race and with almost all votes counted she led by 2.4 percentage points (797 votes). The seat was vacated after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Republican Mike Caruso Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller (Caruso had carried the district by 19 points in 2024), and Democrats’ DLCC hailed the result as the 29th GOP-held district flipped since Trump took office; Trump reportedly voted by mail in the special election.
📌 Key Facts
- The Associated Press called the special election for Democrat Emily Gregory in Florida House District 87, a seat that includes Mar-a-Lago.
- Gregory defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples, leading by about 2.4 percentage points (roughly 797 votes) with almost all votes counted.
- The vacancy arose after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Republican Mike Caruso Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller in August; Caruso had won the same district by 19 percentage points in 2024, underscoring the swing.
- DLCC President Heather Williams said, "Mar-a-Lago just flipped red to blue," and framed the win as the 29th GOP-held district Democrats have flipped since Trump took office, linking it to midterm strategy and voter anger over inflation.
- The result is being presented as part of a broader pattern since the start of Trump's second term, with Democrats flipping other Republican-held districts in states including Texas and Minnesota.
- Context: Democrats have lost roughly 800 state legislative seats over the past 15 years, according to National Conference of State Legislatures data cited in the coverage.
- Emily Gregory is a small business owner whose campaign emphasized affordability, public education and affordable healthcare.
- Reports confirm that Donald Trump voted by mail in this special election despite having publicly criticized mail voting as "mail-in cheating" days earlier.
📊 Relevant Data
In Florida House District 87, there are 47,984 registered Republicans, 32,408 registered Democrats, and 30,773 voters with no party affiliation, out of a total of 115,907 active registered voters as of early 2026.
Active Registered Voters by State House District — Florida Department of State Division of Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump received 56% of the Hispanic vote in Florida, compared to 42% for Kamala Harris.
Trump received 56% of the Hispanic vote in Florida, new exit poll finds — Florida Phoenix
Palm Beach County, containing District 87, has a population composition of 50.4% White alone not Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Black alone, and 25.6% Hispanic or Latino as of 2024.
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Palm Beach County, Florida — U.S. Census Bureau
According to a 2025 poll of Florida Latino voters, 55% cited cost of living and inflation as their top issue, and 41% cited jobs and the economy.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"A Playbook commentary uses the Emily Gregory flip in the Florida House district that includes Mar‑a‑Lago to argue that Trump’s marquee endorsement and the Mar‑a‑Lago brand have limited down‑ballot potency, signaling political trouble for Republicans unless they adjust strategy."
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms the Associated Press has called the race for Emily Gregory in Florida House District 87.
- Specifies that Gregory defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples, naming the GOP nominee.
- Clarifies that the vacancy arose after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Republican Mike Caruso Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller in August.
- Adds that Gregory is a small business owner whose campaign focused on affordability, public education and affordable healthcare.
- Notes that since the start of Trump’s second term, Democrats have flipped several other Republican-held districts, including ones in Texas and Minnesota, framing this as part of a broader pattern.
- Margin detail: With almost all votes counted, Emily Gregory led by 2.4 percentage points, or 797 votes.
- Historical baseline: The same district was won by Republican Mike Caruso by 19 percentage points in 2024.
- Explicit confirmation that Trump voted by mail in this special election, despite calling mail voting 'mail-in cheating' as recently as Monday.
- DLCC President Heather Williams framed the result as 'Mar-a-Lago just flipped red to blue' and said it is the 29th GOP-held district Democrats have flipped since Trump took office, tying the win to broader midterm strategy and voter anger over inflation.
- Context data point: Democrats have lost around 800 state legislative seats over the last 15 years, per National Conference of State Legislatures data cited in the piece.