Who is Emily Gregory? Democrat raises alarm bells for Trump, flips seat in special election for Florida district including Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort

In a significant development, Democrats on Tuesday (March 25, 2026) flipped a Florida legislative district, securing another upset in a state House election. Democrat Emily Gregory claimed victory in the special election for a Florida state House seat, capturing a district that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. She secured District 87 along coastal Palm Beach County.

Trump endorsed Gregory’s rival, Jon Maples. In a social media post Monday, he urged voters to turn out, saying Maples was endorsed “by so many of my Palm Beach County friends.”

With almost all votes counted, Gregory led by 2.4 percentage points, or 797 votes, at the time of filing of this report, according to news agency AP. Emily Gregory, a first-time candidate with a public health background, became the latest Democrat to win a special election and claim a statehouse seat previously held by a Republican.


The election was held after Republican Mike Caruso resigned from the seat to become the clerk of Palm Beach County. He won the district by 19 percentage points in 2024.

Democrats flipped more than two dozen seats in Republican states since 2024

Since the 2024 presidential election, Democrats have flipped more than two dozen seats in Republican or battleground states, including ones in Arkansas and New Hampshire earlier this month, according to the New York Times. On the other hand, Republicans have not captured any Democratic seats.

Gregory's victory brought the trend into Trump's backyard, in a state that has trended heavily Republican since its days as a perennial battleground.

Palm Beach County, where Gregory scored her victory, used to be a Democratic stronghold, but Republicans have made major inroads in recent federal and local elections. The seat that Gregory won in District 87, along coastal Palm Beach County, had been held by state Rep. Caruso.

Who is Emily Gregory?

A South Florida native, Emily is a Catholic, army spouse, small business owner, public health expert, and mother of three. Born and raised on the Treasure Coast, she grew up in Stuart, just 20 miles north of where she eventually settled in Jupiter.

She has a BS in Health and Exercise Science and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Wake Forest and Columbia University, respectively. She has a career in mental health, state government, and public health. As a small business owner for the past seven years, Emily has led FIT4MOM Palm Beach, a fitness community for pregnant and postpartum women offering accessible programs like Stroller Strides.

Gregory, 40, centered her campaign on the Democrats' favorite word in the 2026 cycle, "affordability," and zeroed in on housing and health care.