Emily Gregory defeats Trump-endorsed Jon Maples, flips Palm Beach House seat near Mar-a-Lago
Key Takeaways
- Emily Gregory defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples to win Florida House District 87, including Mar-a-Lago.
- Seat had been vacant since August after Mike Caruso resigned.
- Gregory won by about 2.3 percentage points, 51.15% to 48.85%.
Symbolic win in Trump turf
Democrat Emily Gregory won Florida House District 87, the Palm Beach County seat that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, defeating Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples in a tight special election.
“The district that houses the villa where the American president spends his weekends was won by the Democratic camp after a partial election”
The result, described by outlets as a symbolic rebuke of Trump in his own back yard, fits into a broader pattern of Democratic gains in state legislatures across the country since Trump returned to the White House.
Tight margin, clear swing
Gregory led Maples by about 2.4 percentage points, roughly 797 votes, as results rolled in.
Official tallies showed Gregory at 51.2% to Maples’s 48.8%, reflecting a notable swing in a district Trump carried by about 11 points in 2024.
Momentum across states
The victory is part of a broader momentum shift, with Democrats flipping GOP-held state legislative seats across the country.
“Democrat flips seat representing Mar-a-Lago's district in Florida special election Democrat Emily Gregory ran against Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples”
Party leaders framed the win as evidence that voters are receptive to kitchen-table issues like affordability and healthcare, even in traditionally Republican areas, and as a bellwether for the November midterms.
Trump in the frame
Maples was explicitly backed by the president, who urged supporters to vote for him.
Trump voted by mail in the election, despite his longstanding criticisms of mail-in voting.
Outlook and implications
Analysts note the Florida result as part of a broader Democratic surge in local and state races, signaling potential headwinds for Republicans in November.
“Democratic candidate Emily Gregory is projected to win a special election for a Florida state House of Representatives seat that includes United States President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, in the latest sign of strain for Trump’s Republican Party”
The swing in Trump’s own district is framed as evidence that concerns about living costs and other issues are reshaping political dynamics at the local level and beyond.
More on USA
U.S. Prepares to Deploy 1,000 82nd Airborne to West Asia to Seize Airfields
17 sources compared
Democrat Emily Gregory flips Trump-carried Palm Beach House seat, defeating Trump-backed Jon Maples
12 sources compared
President Donald Trump Threatens National Guard Deployment to U.S. Airports
14 sources compared
GOP excludes ICE enforcement in DHS funding plan, leaving TSA workers unpaid and airports strained
17 sources compared