Democrat Emily Gregory won a special election in Florida, flipping a state legislative district that includes Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, a significant victory for Democrats in a previously Republican stronghold.
Democrat Emily Gregory secured an unexpected victory in a Florida special election, flipping a state legislative district that encompasses Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach estate where President Donald Trump resides. This district was previously held by Republican Mike Caruso, who had won by a commanding 19 percentage points in 2024 before resigning. Democrats are hailing this win as a major indicator of voter dissatisfaction with Republicans, especially given rising gas and grocery costs. Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, stated this was the 29th seat Democrats have flipped from Republican control since Trump took office, emphasizing, 'If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what’s possible this November.' Gregory, a first-time candidate and owner of a fitness company, won by a narrow margin of 2.4 percentage points, or 797 votes. This victory follows other notable Democratic wins in Republican-controlled areas, including Eileen Higgins winning the Miami mayoral race in December and Taylor Rehmet flipping a Republican state Senate district in Texas in January. Democratic leaders, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, view this win in Trump’s 'backyard' as a 'crystal clear message' from his own neighbors. Interestingly, Trump, despite publicly criticizing mail-in voting, cast his ballot by mail in this election, according to Palm Beach County voter records. He switched his personal residence and voter registration to Florida from New York during his first term.
