Democrat Wins Florida District Including Trump’s Mar-a-Lago in Special Election Upset

Democrats have won a special election in Florida. The district includes Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach. Emily Gregory, a first-time candidate, defeated Trump-backed Republican Jon Maples. The race was for the open Florida District 87 state House seat. This result reverses the 2024 outcome. A Republican won the district by 19 percentage points then.

Momentum for Democrats

Democrats have performed well in special elections during Trump’s second term. Gregory’s victory could indicate momentum for the party heading into this year’s congressional midterm elections. Therefore, this Democrat winning Mar-a-Lago district sends a significant signal.

Candidate’s Reaction

“When I started this nine months ago, I obviously thought it was possible,” Gregory told MSNBC. “I might have done some crazy calculus to decide that this was a flip opportunity, but it was. And we did it. So my math worked.”When asked about Trump being her constituent, Gregory said she didn’t really think about it. “He’s one of 115,000 registered voters in District 87.”