Democrat Emily Gregory has won the special election for Florida House District 87, securing a legislative seat that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The Associated Press called the race on Tuesday evening, confirming Gregory defeated Republican Jon Maples by a margin of 797 votes.
Gregory captured 51.17 percent of the vote compared to Maples’ 48.83 percent with nearly all ballots counted. The victory marks a significant shift in a district that Trump carried by approximately 10 points in the 2024 presidential election. The seat was previously held by Republican Mike Caruso, who vacated the position in August 2025 after winning by a 19-point margin.
Speaking with CNN, Gregory attributed the outcome to her campaign’s focus on local economic issues, specifically citing rising property insurance rates, housing affordability, and public education funding, rather than national platforms.
Election records indicated that Donald Trump cast his ballot for Maples by mail, a voting method he has previously criticized while promoting the Save America Act.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee stated this is the 29th Republican-held seat flipped by Democrats since the start of Trump’s second term. While Florida has trended conservative in recent years, Gregory’s win aligns with isolated anomalies in local politics, including Democrat Eileen Higgins winning the Miami mayoral race in December 2025.