Democrat Emily Gregory has won a special election for Florida's House District 87, which includes Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. According to multiple reports, Gregory defeated Republican Jon Maples by more than 2 percentage points with over 95% of the votes counted as of Tuesday evening.
Key Takeaways
Democrat Emily Gregory won a special election for Florida's House District 87, which includes Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. She defeated Republican Jon Maples by more than 2 percentage points, flipping a historically Republican district.
- Democrat Emily Gregory wins Florida House District 87 special election
- Victory flips historically Republican district including Mar-a-Lago
- Democrats see win as sign of voter shift ahead of midterm elections
- Republicans dismiss significance due to low turnout in special election
The district has historically leaned Republican and was won by Republicans by 19 percentage points in 2024. Democrats have celebrated the victory as a sign that voters are turning against Trump and the GOP ahead of November's midterm elections. Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said on social media, 'If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what’s possible this November.' She added that this is the 29th district Democrats have flipped from GOP control since Trump took office.
Gregory's win has been touted by Democrats as a warning sign for Republicans in the upcoming elections. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said, 'Donald Trump's own neighbors just sent a crystal clear message: They are furious and ready for change.' The victory comes amid rising concerns about the cost of living, with inflationary pressures driven by factors such as increased oil and gas prices due to US involvement in Israel's actions against Iran.
Republicans, however, dismissed the significance of the special election victory. The Republican National Committee (RNC) argued that low-turnout state House special elections are not indicative of broader political trends. RNC Senior Adviser Danielle Alvarez stated, 'A low-turnout state House special election is a snapshot of local quirks, candidate dynamics, and turnout math — not some grand verdict.' Despite the victory not changing the balance of power in the state legislature, where Republicans have held majorities for over 25 years, Democrats see it as a strategic win.
President Joe Biden placed a congratulatory call to Emily Gregory following her victory. According to The Daily Mail, Biden typically offers his phone number to rising Democrats, encouraging them to use him as a resource in an elder statesman role.
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