Democrat Emily Gregory won a Florida special election on Tuesday, flipping a state legislative district that is home to Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach estate that President Donald Trump counts as his residence. <\/p>\n
The president had endorsed Gregory\u2019s rival, Jon Maples. In a social media post Monday, he urged voters to turn out, saying Maples was backed \u201cby so many of my Palm Beach County friends.\u201d <\/p>\n
Democrats celebrated the victory as the latest sign voters are turning against Trump and Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in November. Tuesday was the latest in a series of lopsided or improbable victories in special elections across the country since Trump returned to the White House more than a year ago. <\/p>\n
The district was previously represented by Mike Caruso, a Republican who resigned to become Palm Beach County\u2019s clerk. Caruso won by 19 percentage points in 2024. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what\u2019s possible this November,\u201d said Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. She said Tuesday\u2019s race was the 29th seat that Democrats have flipped from Republican control since Trump took office.<\/p>\n
\u201cGas prices are spiking, grocery costs are up, and families can\u2019t get by \u2014 it\u2019s clear voters at the polls are fed up with Republicans,\u201d Williams said. <\/p>\n
With almost all votes counted, Gregory led by 2.4 percentage points, or 797 votes.<\/p>\n
Gregory grew up north of Palm Beach in Stuart. She\u2019s the owner of a fitness company that works with pregnant and postpartum women, and she has never run for elected office before.<\/p>\n
Speaking to MSNOW after her victory, she said she was \u201cpretty shocked\u201d and \u201chaving a fairly out-of-body experience.\u201d <\/p>\n