Democrat Emily Gregory Wins Florida State House District 87 Special Election
Democrat Emily Gregory has won the special election for Florida State House District 87, defeating Republican Jon Maples.
The victory marks the first time a Democrat has secured this seat in the current century.
The district, which includes former President Donald Trump's residence Mar-a-Lago, had previously trended Republican.
Election Results
Emily Gregory, a business owner and military spouse, won the special election with 51.15% of the vote, securing a margin of just under 800 votes against Republican Jon Maples, who received 48.85%. The seat became vacant in August following the departure of Republican Mike Caruso.
District Overview
Florida's State House District 87 is located in Palm Beach County, encompassing areas such as Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, and Mar-a-Lago. While the district had historically leaned Republican, with Donald Trump carrying it by approximately 9 to 11 points in the 2024 presidential election, the outcome marks a significant shift.
Gregory's win means that Mar-a-Lago is now represented by Democrats across Florida's state House, Senate, and the U.S. House.
Key Campaign Issues and Candidate Platforms
The campaign largely centered on issues of affordability.
Emily Gregory: Affordability and Healthcare
A first-time candidate, Gregory focused on concerns such as the affordability crisis, rising gas prices, increasing public education funding, expanding healthcare access, and addressing escalating property insurance and housing costs. She voiced opposition to broad property tax elimination, advocating instead for targeted relief measures. Her campaign reported significant fundraising and received endorsements from various Democratic and progressive organizations.
Jon Maples: Fiscal Conservatism and School Choice
A financial planner and former council-member, Maples aligned his campaign with established Republican priorities, including reducing taxes and government spending, decreasing regulatory burdens, and promoting school choice initiatives. His campaign received substantial financial and institutional support from Republican organizations and endorsements from prominent GOP figures, including former President Donald Trump.
Gregory stated that Trump's presence was not a factor in her campaign, emphasizing her focus on Maples and "issues that matter most to Florida families."
Discussions during the campaign also included Governor Ron DeSantis's delay in calling the election and questions regarding Maples' residency within the district.
Political Reactions and Context
Democrats viewed Gregory's victory as an indicator of broader momentum for the party in upcoming elections, attributing it to voter discontent over economic issues. The win aligns with a reported pattern of Democratic special election successes, with the party indicating it has flipped over 20 state legislative seats in special or regularly scheduled elections since the previous fall.
House Speaker-Designate Sam Garrison congratulated Maples on his campaign. Garrison attributed the Republican loss to low voter turnout in a special election and described certain opposition tactics as "dark-money racial attacks." He also stated a commitment to a comeback campaign in the next General Election.
Former President Trump's Vote
Former President Donald Trump, a resident of Palm Beach, cast his vote by mail in the special election. This occurred despite his public opposition to widespread no-excuse mail-in voting.
A White House spokesperson, Olivia Wales, clarified that Trump’s voter ID bill includes exceptions for mail-in ballots due to illness, disability, military service, or travel. The spokesperson stated that as a Palm Beach resident primarily residing in Washington, D.C., his mail-in vote was permissible under these exceptions. Some voters in Palm Beach indicated unawareness of Trump's endorsement of Maples.