Democrat Flips Seat In District That Includes Trump's Mar-A-Lago Estate

Democrat Emily Gregory won a Florida special election, flipping a district that includes President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach that he counts as his residence, on Tuesday (March 24), the Associated Press reports.

Gregory held a 2.4% lead over with nearly all votes counted over Republican Jon Maples, who was endorsed by Trump and backed “by so many of my Palm Beach County friends," according to the president. The Florida election gave another preview of the upcoming midterm elections set for November as Democrats have won several lopsided races since Trump began his second of two non-consecutive presidential terms in 2025.

The district was previously represented by Republican Mike Caruso, who resigned to become Palm Beach County's clerk, after previously winning the seat by 19 percentage points in 2024. Democrats have had notable wins in Republican-controlled Florida since Trump retook office, which includes Eileen Higgins becoming the first Democrat Miami mayor in nearly three decades and Taylor Rehmet flipping a historically Republican state Senate district during a special election in January.

“If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what’s possible this November,” said Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, reiterating that Tuesday's race was the 29th seat flipped by Democrats since Trump's second presidential term.

“Gas prices are spiking, grocery costs are up, and families can’t get by — it’s clear voters at the polls are fed up with Republicans,” she added.

Gregory, who grew up in Stuart, Florida, and owns a fitness company that works with pregnant and postpartum women, had never previously ran for office and told MSNOW that she was "pretty shocked" and "having an fairly out-of-body experience" after her election win.