🔴 BREAKING NEWS | March 25, 2026 | Florida House District 87 | Palm Beach County
In a stunning political earthquake that is sending shockwaves across the entire United States, Democrat Emily Gregory has won the Florida special election 2026, flipping a Florida House seat in a district that includes President Donald Trump's private estate, Mar-a-Lago. The Florida special election results shocked political analysts, party insiders, and even Gregory herself — who admitted she was "pretty shocked" and having "a fairly out-of-body experience" after her victory was called.
This is not just another local race. This is a political bombshell. And here is everything you need to know about Emily Gregory, the Florida election today, and what this historic result means for 2026 midterms.
Who Is Emily Gregory? The Woman Who Shook Trump's Backyard
So who exactly is Emily Gregory? Until recently, she was largely unknown outside Palm Beach County. A 40-year-old South Florida native who grew up in Stuart, just north of Palm Beach, Gregory is the owner of a fitness company that specializes in working with pregnant and postpartum women. She is also a military spouse — and as of Tuesday night, she is the newest Democratic member of the Florida state House of Representatives.
What makes Gregory's story so remarkable is that she had never run for elected office before this year. She is a first-time candidate who took on a deeply red district in what many dismissed as an unwinnable race — and won anyway.
Gregory framed her entire campaign around a single powerful theme: affordability. Rising housing costs, skyrocketing insurance premiums, and the high price of everyday necessities were the core of her message. Her campaign slogan could easily be summarized as: "Florida isn't working for Florida families — and I'm going to change that."
When she addressed her supporters on election night, Gregory declared: "Tonight's result sends a clear message that people want Florida to move in a new direction, one where leaders focus on lowering costs and standing up for working families."
The Florida Special Election 2026: What Was at Stake?
The Florida special election in Florida House District 87 was called to fill the seat previously held by Republican Mike Caruso, who resigned in August 2024 to become Palm Beach County's clerk of courts. Caruso had won re-election in the 2024 election by nearly 20 percentage points — a margin that made District 87 look untouchable for Democrats.
Governor Ron DeSantis was responsible for calling the special election, though his delay of nearly two months in doing so prompted Gregory to take legal action, suing the governor and arguing that voters were being denied representation in Tallahassee. While that lawsuit was eventually rendered moot after DeSantis scheduled the election, it signaled just how determined and aggressive Gregory's campaign was willing to be.
Florida House District 87 runs along the coast through Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno Beach, and Hypoluxo — and crucially, it encompasses the grounds of Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's private club and de facto second home. This geographic detail turned a state-level contest into a national headline.
Emily Gregory vs. Jon Maples: A David vs. Goliath Race
Gregory's opponent was Jon Maples, a former council member from nearby Lake Shores. On paper, Maples had every advantage. He had President Donald Trump's personal endorsement — a "Complete and Total Endorsement" announced in January. Trump praised Maples at a Florida event just days before the election, calling him up on stage in front of supporters and urging voters to turn out for him. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said Maples was backed by "so many of my Palm Beach County friends."
More than $1 million was spent between the two candidates, making it one of the most expensive and high-profile local legislative contests in recent memory.
Yet when the Florida election results came in, the outcome was stunning. With nearly all votes counted:
- Emily Gregory (Democrat): 51.2%
- Jon Maples (Republican): 48.8%
Gregory's margin of victory was approximately 797 votes — a razor-thin but definitive win in a district where Trump himself carried the vote by roughly 9 percentage points in 2024.
There was one more ironic twist: Trump himself voted by mail in Tuesday's special election — despite having publicly and repeatedly attacked mail-in voting as a source of fraud, and despite actively pushing Congress to curtail the practice through the Republican-backed SAVE America Act. Palm Beach County voter records confirmed his mail ballot was counted.
Why Florida Election Results Are Making National Headlines
The significance of the Florida special election results goes far beyond one state House seat. This is the 29th seat that Democrats have flipped from Republican control since Trump returned to the White House, according to Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
Williams put the number in stark terms: "If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what's possible this November."
The win is part of a broader Democratic wave in special elections across the country. In December 2025, Democrat Eileen Higgins won the race for Miami mayor — the first time a Democrat had led that city in nearly three decades. In January 2026, Democrat Taylor Rehmet flipped a reliably Republican state Senate district in Texas in a special election. And now, Emily Gregory has flipped a district in Trump's own backyard.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried called it "a nearly 11-point swing to the left" and described the win as proof that "Democrats can run and win anywhere — including Donald Trump's backyard."
House Democratic Leader-Designate Christine Hunschofsky added: "Emily proved that Floridians are ready for change and ready for leaders who will focus on delivering real results that help bring down everyday costs for working families."
The Affordability Message That Won the Race
Both Gregory and Maples centered their campaigns heavily on the issue of affordability — but Gregory owned the message more effectively. With gas prices spiking amid ongoing U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict, grocery costs climbing, and Florida's housing and insurance costs already among the highest in the nation, voters in District 87 were clearly feeling the pinch.
"Everyone is feeling that affordability crisis," Gregory said after her win. "And the last thing that Florida families needed when they're struggling is $4 gas."
This message proved more resonant than Trump's endorsement of Maples. In fact, some voters who turned out for Maples didn't even know about Trump's endorsement. To others, it made little difference. The kitchen-table economic concerns of Palm Beach County families ultimately outweighed the political celebrity of a presidential blessing.
What Happens Next for Emily Gregory?
Gregory is expected to be sworn in to serve the remainder of the current term in the Florida state House. She has also signaled she will seek election to a full two-year term in November 2026, making her an immediate target for Republicans looking to reclaim the seat.
Her immediate priorities in Tallahassee will be focused on the upcoming special sessions on redistricting and passing the state budget — critical debates where her voice as a new Democratic member will carry symbolic weight even as her party remains in the minority.
When asked about Trump's presence in her district, Gregory was gracious and direct: "I would be happy to have a conversation. All 180,000 residents of District 87 are my priority if I'm so lucky to serve. I will put them all with equal weight."
What Does the Florida Special Election 2026 Mean for the Midterms?
The political implications of this Florida election result are enormous. Here's the bigger picture:
1. Democratic Momentum Is Real. The string of Democratic wins in special elections is not a fluke. It reflects genuine voter frustration with the direction of the Republican Party and the Trump administration, particularly on economic issues.
2. Florida Is No Longer a Write-Off for Democrats. Republicans hold a 1.48 million-voter registration advantage statewide. Yet Democrats keep winning in places they shouldn't. Emily Gregory's win, Eileen Higgins's mayoral victory in Miami, and other recent results suggest the Sunshine State is more competitive than its reputation suggests.
3. The Endorsement Effect Has Limits. Trump's personal endorsement of Jon Maples did not carry the day in his own district. If the most powerful political brand in the Republican Party cannot deliver a win in Mar-a-Lago's backyard, it raises serious questions about the weight of that endorsement in competitive races elsewhere.
4. The 2026 Midterms Are Now in Play. With Democrats having flipped 29 state legislative seats since Trump took office, the midterm environment is clearly trending blue. Florida House District 87 is just the latest data point confirming a national pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
❓ Who is Emily Gregory?
Emily Gregory is a 40-year-old Democrat, small business owner, military spouse, and first-time political candidate from South Florida. She won the Florida House District 87 special election on March 24, 2026, flipping a Republican-held seat in a district that includes Mar-a-Lago, President Trump's Palm Beach estate.
❓ What was the Florida special election 2026 about?
The Florida special election 2026 for House District 87 was held to fill a seat vacated when Republican Mike Caruso resigned to become Palm Beach County clerk. Democrat Emily Gregory defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples in an upset victory.
❓ What were the Florida special election results?
With nearly all votes counted, Emily Gregory received 51.2% of the vote versus Jon Maples's 48.8%, a margin of approximately 797 votes. The result represented a swing of nearly 11 points to the left compared to the 2024 election.
❓ Who is Jon Maples?
Jon Maples is a Republican candidate and former council member from Lake Shores, Florida. He received a personal endorsement from President Donald Trump in the Florida House District 87 special election but lost to Emily Gregory.
❓ What is Mar-a-Lago and why is it relevant?
Mar-a-Lago is President Donald Trump's private estate and club in Palm Beach, Florida. It falls within Florida House District 87 — the same district where Emily Gregory just won. This made the race particularly high-profile and symbolically significant.
❓ Did Trump vote in the Florida special election?
Yes. Palm Beach County voter records confirmed that President Trump voted by mail in the March 24, 2026 special election — despite his repeated public opposition to mail-in voting and his administration's efforts to restrict it through the SAVE America Act.
❓ How many seats have Democrats flipped since Trump took office?
According to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Emily Gregory's win is the 29th state legislative seat Democrats have flipped from Republican control since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
❓ What is Florida House District 87?
Florida House District 87 is a state legislative district in Palm Beach County that runs along the coast through Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno Beach, and Hypoluxo. It includes Mar-a-Lago and was previously held by Republican Mike Caruso, who won re-election in 2024 by nearly 20 points.
❓ Will Emily Gregory run again in November 2026?
Yes. Emily Gregory is expected to seek election to a full two-year term in the November 2026 midterm elections, making Florida House District 87 a key race to watch.
❓ What does Emily Gregory's win mean for the 2026 midterms?
Political analysts view Gregory's win as a major warning sign for Republicans. If Democrats can flip a district in Trump's own backyard, it signals strong Democratic momentum heading into the 2026 midterm elections, where hundreds of state and federal seats will be on the line.
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📰 Published: March 25, 2026 | Category: Breaking News, U.S. Politics, Florida Elections Word Count: ~1,200 words
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