As the two major parties gear up for this year’s midterm elections, Democrats have yet again picked up a state legislative seat in a heavily red district. This time, a Florida candidate has won in an area that includes President Donald Trump’s home and resort.
First-time Democratic candidate wins Florida state legislature seat
Democrat Emily Gregory has been declared the winner in a special election in Palm Beach County to represent the area in Florida’s state legislature. Gregory, who runs a fitness company that caters to women who are pregnant or have recently given birth, had never before run for public office. Per The Associated Press, Gregory told MSNOW that she was “pretty shocked” by her win and described herself as “having a fairly out-of-body experience” at the news of her victory. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams characterized the race as a referendum on issues of affordability. “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,” she said, according to PBS.
Democrat flips Mar-a-Lago area despite Trump support for Republican
The victory is a shocking result in Trump’s backyard, as Gregory will now represent the district that includes Mar-a-Lago, the resort that serves as Trump’s primary residence. The district was previously represented by Republican Mike Caruso, who won his 2024 race by 19 percentage points; Caruso left the seat to become Palm Beach County’s clerk, setting up the special election. Trump and other top Republicans supported the 2026 Republican candidate, Jon Maples, with the president posting on social media, “JON MAPLES HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!”
Trump voted in Tuesday’s election via mail-in ballot, a controversial choice given that he has demonized mail-in voting and is attempting to restrict the option through the SAVE America Act that he is pushing Congress to pass. In the end, Trump’s support for Maples was not enough, with Williams declaring, “If Mar-a-Lago is vulnerable, imagine what’s possible this November.”
Blue wave ahead of 2026 midterm elections
Gregory’s win is part of a trend of Democrats winning elections in Republican districts. As Williams noted, the win in Palm Beach marks the 29th time that Democrats have flipped a Republican state seat since Trump returned to the White House; Republicans have not flipped any Democratic seats within that timeframe. In November, Democrats won two seats in the Mississippi state Senate, breaking the GOP’s supermajority in that state for the first time in 13 years. Beyond state legislatures, Democrats have also racked up other wins against Trump-backed candidates, such as breaking 28 years of Republicans holding the mayor’s office in Miami. Democrats have even made inroads in the U.S. Congress; a Democratic candidate recently forced a runoff election, scheduled for April, in Georgia’s 14th District, the heavily red area previously represented by Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Going into November’s midterm elections, Democrats are hoping that the momentum of the “blue wave” will continue and allow them to retake control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. Trump and his Republican allies, meanwhile, hope that they can hold onto power in Congress for the second half of Trump’s term. Given the high stakes of November’s election, Tuesday’s results in Trump’s home district give reasons for Democrats to be enthusiastic and Republicans to be nervous this election cycle.