ORLANDO, Fla. — A special election upset in Florida has energized Democrats across the nation after Emily Gregory captured a state house seat in the district that encompasses Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.
The victory marks another Republican seat that has switched to Democratic control since Trump began his second term, providing the party with renewed confidence heading into November’s midterm elections where congressional seats and numerous state legislatures will be contested.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried expressed enthusiasm about the results during a press conference. “The pendulum swings in both directions,” Fried stated. “Last night it swung hard in the state of Florida.”
Fried continued with optimism about future races, declaring, “If we can win in Donald Trump’s backyard, we can win anywhere.”
Gregory, a 40-year-old fitness business owner making her first run for office, found herself thrust into national attention following her unexpected triumph.
“I believed in myself the whole time,” Gregory explained, characterizing her political inexperience and unfamiliarity with the district’s Republican tendencies as beneficial rather than harmful.
Speaking with reporters, Gregory emphasized that her campaign avoided targeting Trump directly, instead concentrating on local economic concerns and daily financial pressures facing residents — including rapidly increasing insurance costs in the hurricane-vulnerable area, along with rising grocery and fuel prices.
While identifying as a lifelong “proud Florida Democrat,” Gregory clarified she didn’t seek to become a party spokesperson or lead anti-Trump efforts. Her legislative priorities will center on proposals to control insurance premium increases, broaden healthcare availability, and reduce “huge, crushing burdens on the average Florida family.”
“I just see myself as very embedded in my community, very representative of District 87,” Gregory remarked. “And I’m so humbled and proud to be their representative.”
Trump had backed Gregory’s Republican challenger, Jon Maples, and submitted a mail-in ballot in the race. The president reinforced his endorsement of Maples just before election day through social media, noting the Republican candidate had support “by so many of my Palm Beach County friends.”
By Wednesday afternoon, Trump had not publicly addressed the election results.
Fried commended both Gregory and Brian Nathan, a 45-year-old military veteran and union member who maintains a slim lead in a Tampa-area state senate race that remains too close to call and falls within Florida’s automatic recount threshold.
“The type of person and connection on the issues matters,” Fried observed.
Gregory’s victory flipped a district where the previous Republican representative had won by 19 percentage points. According to Fried, Trump carried the same district by 11 points in 2024.
Despite continued Republican control of Florida’s legislature and their favored status to retain the governor’s mansion in November — four years after Gov. Ron DeSantis secured a decisive reelection — Fried argued the recent trends indicate a more competitive political environment.
She pointed to Tuesday’s wins following two congressional special elections in 2025 where Florida Democrats, though unsuccessful, significantly reduced typical Republican victory margins in strongly conservative districts.
“You’ve seen tremendous overspending by Republicans,” Fried said regarding current campaign cycles. “It’s not working.”
A representative for Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, who has Trump’s endorsement for Florida governor, acknowledged the latest election outcomes.
“We constantly assess how we execute our strategy — that’s just good campaigns,” stated Ryan Smith, Donalds’ chief campaign strategist. “What won’t change is our mission: President Trump endorsed Byron Donalds to deliver real results and defend the Florida Dream, and that’s what voters can expect to see from us.”
Gregory expressed readiness to serve all constituents in her new role — including her most prominent constituent who didn’t support her candidacy.
“I should have a constituent service office available soon, and I would love to have a conversation,” she said when asked about her message to the president. “He’s welcome to call me, as I am his new state representative.”
