Democrat Emily Gregory Defeats Republican Jon Maples in Florida's House District 87 Special Election.

Democrat Emily Gregory pulled off a stunning upset victory in Florida's House District 87 special election on March 24, 2026, defeating Republican Jon Maples by a narrow margin of 51% to 49%.

“Members serve two-year terms; the next regular elections are in November”

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The final results showed Gregory receiving 17,047 votes to Maples' 16,281 votes, a difference of just 797 votes in a race that attracted national attention as a key political bellwether.

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The victory marked a dramatic reversal from the district's recent Republican dominance, where GOP incumbent Mike Caruso had won by 19 percentage points just months earlier in the 2024 election.

This special election filled the seat left vacant when Caruso resigned to become Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller, creating an opening that both parties viewed as crucial in the lead-up to the November 2026 midterm elections.

The political significance of this election was magnified by the fact that District 87 encompasses Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's primary residence in Palm Beach, making it the first time Trump would be represented by a Democrat in the Florida state legislature.

Trump had actively campaigned for Maples, posting on social media that he had 'Complete and Total Endorsement' and urging his followers to support Maples, whom he described as backed 'by so many of my Palm Beach County friends.'

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Despite Trump's personal involvement and the district's Republican leanings, Gregory managed to overcome the 11-point advantage Trump had secured in the district during the 2024 presidential election.

The result sent shockwaves through political circles, with Democrats immediately framing it as evidence of growing anti-Trump sentiment and Republican vulnerability heading into the midterms.

Emily Gregory emerged as a political newcomer with a compelling personal story and platform focused on local issues that resonated with voters.

“It was the 29th seat Democrats had flipped from Republican control since Mr Trump regained office”

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A 40-year-old business owner and military spouse, Gregory runs FIT4MOM Palm Beach, a fitness company specializing in programs for pregnant and postpartum women.

She grew up in Stuart, just north of Palm Beach, and holds degrees in Health and Exercise Science from Wake Forest University and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University.

Her campaign emphasized affordability, rising property insurance costs, housing issues, healthcare access, and education reform – issues that directly affected constituents in the coastal community.

By contrast, Maples, a 43-year-old financial planner and former Lake Clarke Shores Council member, focused on cutting taxes, reducing government spending, deregulation, promoting private-sector job growth, and advancing school choice policies.

He had raised significant funds for his campaign, reportedly totaling $440,000 by mid-election period, and benefited from substantial outside support including from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee.

The special election was characterized by relatively low voter turnout, with approximately 15% of eligible voters casting ballots ahead of Election Day according to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office.

About 4,400 voters participated in early voting, while roughly 13,000 submitted ballots by mail.

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As of Tuesday morning, Democratic voters had cast 7,457 ballots, Republicans about 7,176, and voters with no party affiliation more than 2,802.

The race was not without controversy, as questions were raised about Maples' residency, with reporting noting his listed home sat outside HD 87 and that he'd registered to vote at an in-district apartment in January.

Maples claimed he and his family had bought and moved into a new home within the district's bounds, noting that Florida law only requires candidates to live in the district by the time they are sworn in.

Additionally, Gregory's campaign drew criticism for a political text attacking Maples that some argued featured racially charged imagery and misleading claims about his residency and voting record.

Gregory's victory was immediately celebrated by Democrats as a significant milestone in their efforts to regain political ground in Florida and nationally.

“Democrats flip Florida seat that includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago home Democrats are projected to win a special election for a Florida legislative district that includes Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, marking another upset in the president's backyard”

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Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried hailed it as 'a monumental victory' that showed 'the impact of Democrats' long-term investment in Florida' and proved Democrats 'can run and win anywhere–including Donald Trump's backyard.'

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Palm Beach County Democratic Party Chair Howard Richman emphasized the grassroots organizing that contributed to the win, highlighting the 'incredible dedication of our local volunteers: those of you who spent hundreds of hours knocking on doors, making calls, and mobilizing your neighbors were the true engine of this win.'

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin declared that 'Donald Trump's own neighbors just sent a crystal clear message: They are furious and ready for change.'

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's Heather Williams noted this was the 29th seat Democrats had flipped from Republican control since Trump took office, stating 'If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what's possible this November.'

In contrast, Florida House Republican Campaign Committee Chair Speaker-Designate Sam Garrison attributed Maples' defeat to 'low Republican turnout due to awkward special election timing' and 'despicable, dark-money racial attacks from Democrat criminal defense lawyers pretending to be Republicans.'

The broader implications of Gregory's victory extended beyond Florida, as it signaled a continuing trend of Democratic success in special elections since Trump returned to the White House.

This result came on the heels of other notable Democratic wins, including Eileen Higgins becoming Miami's first Democratic mayor in decades and Taylor Rehmet flipping a reliably Republican state Senate district in Texas that Trump had won by 17 points in 2024.

Gregory's win was particularly significant because it occurred in a district with a substantial Republican registration advantage statewide—1.48 million voters—and despite Trump's active campaigning for Maples.

The outcome provided Democrats with momentum heading into the November 2026 midterm elections, where they hope to break Republican supermajorities in both chambers of the Florida Legislature and potentially regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gregory herself downplayed Trump's influence on her campaign, telling CNN that she focused on issues that matter most to Florida families and would be 'happy to have a conversation' with the president, emphasizing that 'all 180,000 residents of District 87 are my priority if I'm so lucky to serve.'