Democrat Emily Gregory wins Florida race to represent Mar a Lago

Key Points:

• Democrat Emily Gregory won a Florida special election, flipping a state legislative district that includes Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach residence, despite Trump endorsing her Republican opponent, Jon Maples.
• The district was previously held by Republican Mike Caruso, who resigned; Caruso had won the seat by 19 points in 2024, making Gregory’s narrow 2.4-point victory notable.
• Democrats view the win as a sign of growing voter dissatisfaction with Trump and Republicans ahead of the November midterms, with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee noting it as the 29th Republican-held seat flipped since Trump took office.
• Gregory, a first-time candidate and local fitness business owner, expressed surprise at her victory, while Democratic leaders highlighted rising economic concerns like gas and grocery prices as motivating factors for voters.
• Trump, who voted by mail in the election despite criticizing the method, distanced himself from the loss, underscoring challenges Republicans face even in areas closely tied to him.