Donald Trump Suffers Major Blow in Mar-a-Lago District As Democrat Emily Gregory Flips Deep-Red Seat

Democrat Emily Gregory is projected to win the special state House election in President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home district in Palm Beach, Florida, reports CNN's Decision Desk. Gregory's win will secure another special election triumph for Democrats, adding to the recent trend of flipping Republican-held seats in state legislatures.

According to CNN, Gregory, a business owner, military spouse and first-time contender, will defeat Republican Jon Maples, a former council member of Lake Shores, who received Trump's "Complete and Total Endorsement" in January in a Truth Social post, where the president urged "great patriots" to vote in the special election.

The closely watched House election took place on Tuesday, March 24, and offered Democrats an important opportunity to flip the Grand Old Party (GOP) seat in the deep-red Florida state House District 87. Gregory's win marked a sharp turnaround from 2024, when Republican State Representative Mike Caruso won re-election by 19 percentage points.

The seat has been vacant since August 2025, when Caruso left the seat to serve as Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller. Trump won the district by 11 points in the 2024 presidential election, making the recent Democratic win a notable flip. Mar-a-Lago will now have three Democrats representing it in the Florida state House, Senate and U.S. House, even though Republicans will retain overall control of all three.

"When we started this, nobody thought it was possible. They thought we were crazy," Gregory reportedly said to her supporters at her election night party. "I knew my community. I knew we deserved better. We deserve a leader who will fight for us." "I might have done some crazy calculus to decide that this was a flip opportunity, but it was," the Democrat told MSNBC, according to the BBC. She added, "And we did it. So my math worked."

While speaking to CNN's Erin Burnett just after the polls closed, Gregory, who will win Trump's home district, said that the president was not a factor in her campaign. She stated that she mostly focused on Maples and "issues that matter most to Florida families."

"Everyone is feeling that affordability crisis, and the last thing that Florida families need when they're struggling is $4 gas," Gregory said. The Democrat added that, while Trump was not part of her campaign, she would welcome the chance to speak with him. "I would be happy to have a conversation. And you know, all 180,000 residents of District 87 are my priority if I'm so lucky to serve," she stated, adding, "I will put them all with equal weight."

Meanwhile, Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, celebrated Gregory's victory on X, saying voters had "sent a message". "If Democrats can win in Trump's backyard, we sure can win anywhere across the country. Onward to November!" Martin wrote.

Democrats have flipped several House seats in special elections across the country during Trump's second presidential term. The midterm elections will take place in November, with contests for the U.S. House of Representatives, one-third of the U.S. Senate and several governor and state legislative seats.