Democrat Wins Special Election for Florida District Home to Mar-a-Lago

Emily Gregory's victory flips a Republican-held seat in a district that includes former President Trump's resort.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 7:18pm

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Democrat Emily Gregory won a Florida special election on Tuesday, flipping a state House district that includes Mar-a-Lago, the West Palm Beach estate that former President Donald Trump counts as his residence. Gregory defeated Republican Jon Maples, who had been endorsed by Trump.

Why it matters

This victory is seen as the latest sign that voters are turning against Trump and the GOP ahead of the midterm elections. Democrats have been notching a series of wins in special elections across the country since Trump returned to the White House.

The details

Gregory's win marked at least the second time in the last four months that Democrats scored a notable win in Republican-led Florida. In December, Democrat Eileen Higgins won the race for Miami mayor, the first time the party had won the seat in nearly three decades. She defeated a Trump-endorsed Republican in a campaign that leaned heavily into criticism of the president's immigration crackdown, a message that resonated with the city's large Hispanic population.

  • The special election was held on Tuesday, March 25, 2026.
  • Republican Mike Caruso, who resigned from the seat, won the Florida state House district by 19 percentage points in 2024.

The players

Emily Gregory

The Democratic candidate who won the special election for the Florida state House district that includes Mar-a-Lago.

Jon Maples

The Republican candidate who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump but lost the special election to Emily Gregory.

Donald Trump

The former president who endorsed the Republican candidate, Jon Maples, in the special election.

Eileen Higgins

The Democrat who won the race for Miami mayor in December, the first time the party had won the seat in nearly three decades.

Heather Williams

The president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, who celebrated Gregory's victory as the latest sign that voters are turning against Trump and the GOP.

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What they’re saying

“If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what's possible this November.”

— Heather Williams, President, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

“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.”

— Heather Williams, President, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

What’s next

The results of this special election will likely be closely watched as a bellwether for the upcoming midterm elections in November 2026.

The takeaway

This victory in a district that includes former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort suggests that voters in Republican-led Florida are turning against the GOP, potentially foreshadowing broader gains for Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections.