ARI HAIT WPBF 25 NEWS. THANKS, ARI, AND YOUR COMMITMENT. 2026 COVERAGE TONIGHT. A SHOCKER IN THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 87, COVERING THE COASTAL AREA FROM JUNO BEACH TO LANTANA, INCLUDING PALM BEACH AND PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO HOME. IT’S FLIPPED FROM RED TO BLUE. DISTRICT EXPLODED IN SIZE JUST TWO YEARS AGO WHEN GOP LEGISLATORS REDREW IT AND EASILY WON THE SEAT BY 19 POINTS. THAT FOLLOWED YEARS OF DEMOCRATIC WINS IN A MUCH SMALLER, WEST PALM BEACH CENTRIC DISTRICT, 87 DEMOCRAT EMILY GREGORY WINS THE SEAT TONIGHT, DEFEATING REPUBLICAN JOHN MAPLES. THE SEAT OPENED LAST YEAR WHEN MIKE CARUSO BECAME PALM BEACH COUNTY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT AND COMPTROLLER HEAD OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, RELEASED A STATEMENT TONIGHT, QUOTE, TONIGHT, EMILY GREGORY FLIPPED STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 87, HOME TO MAR-A-LAGO AND STUNNING RED TO BLUE VICTORY. THIS RESULT UNDERSCORES A GROWING SHIFT AMONG FLORIDA VOTERS WHO ARE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY, RESULTS AND LEADERSHIP FOCUSED ON LOWERING COSTS. THAT’S THE END OF THE QUOTE. PRESIDENT TRUMP WON THIS DISTRICT IN 2024 BY 11 POINTS. ANOTHER RACE WE’RE FOLLOWING. NORTH PALM BEACH TOWN COUNCIL, THAT ONE TOO CLOSE TO CALL. MORE THAN 3400 BALLOTS CAST. FIRST AND THIRD PLACE ARE SEPARATED BY LESS THAN 70 VOTES. FRIDAY, THERE WILL B
Democrat Emily Gregory upsets Trump-backed GOP candidate to win Florida House District 87 Special Election
Updated: 11:06 PM EDT Mar 24, 2026
The votes are in for the Special Election for Florida State Representative, District 87, on Tuesday.The election was between Democratic candidate Emily Gregory and Republican candidate Jon Maples.As of Tuesday at 8:10 p.m., with 156 of 156 precincts reporting, Gregory has 17,113 votes (51.19%), while Maples has 16,316 votes (48.81%); a Gregory lead of 797 votes.There are an unknown number of outstanding mail-in ballots that have not been counted.The latest: WPBF 25 News coverage on PoliticsAccording to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, District 87 includes parts of Hypoluxo, Lantana, Manalapan, South Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Shores, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Juno Beach.Get the latest political updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.The district includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on Palm Beach. Maples was endorsed by President Trump.Gregory will replace Mike Caruso, a Republican, who is now the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller.WPBF 25 NEWS ANCHOR TODD MCDERMOTT ON ELECTION RESULTSNORTH PALM BEACH VILLAGE COUNCIL, GROUP 4(13 of 13 precincts reporting)Kendra Zellner: 1,194 votes (34.55%)Ron Okolichany: 1,137 votes (32.90%)David B. Norris: 1,125 votes (32.55%)According to Wendy Sartory Link, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, there will be a recount on Friday, March 27 between Okolichany and Norris. The winner of the recount will face Zellner in a runoff election on Tuesday, April 7.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
The votes are in for the Special Election for Florida State Representative, District 87, on Tuesday.
Contributed
From left to right: Republican candidate Jon Maples and Democratic candidate Emily Gregory for Florida House District 87 Special Election on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
The election was between Democratic candidate Emily Gregory and Republican candidate Jon Maples.
As of Tuesday at 8:10 p.m., with 156 of 156 precincts reporting, Gregory has 17,113 votes (51.19%), while Maples has 16,316 votes (48.81%); a Gregory lead of 797 votes.
There are an unknown number of outstanding mail-in ballots that have not been counted.
The latest: WPBF 25 News coverage on Politics
According to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, District 87 includes parts of Hypoluxo, Lantana, Manalapan, South Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Shores, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Juno Beach.
Get the latest political updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The district includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on Palm Beach. Maples was endorsed by President Trump.
Gregory will replace Mike Caruso, a Republican, who is now the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller.
WPBF 25 NEWS ANCHOR TODD MCDERMOTT ON ELECTION RESULTS
NORTH PALM BEACH VILLAGE COUNCIL, GROUP 4
(13 of 13 precincts reporting)
Kendra Zellner: 1,194 votes (34.55%)
Ron Okolichany: 1,137 votes (32.90%)
David B. Norris: 1,125 votes (32.55%)
According to Wendy Sartory Link, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, there will be a recount on Friday, March 27 between Okolichany and Norris.
The winner of the recount will face Zellner in a runoff election on Tuesday, April 7.