Democrat Emily Gregory beat Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples within the president’s dwelling seat, which he carried by double digits throughout his profitable reelection run. On the identical night time, Democrats appeared poised to flip a Tampa-based State Senate seat whereas Republicans held one other State Home seat in a extra rural and conservative a part of the state.
Sunshine State voters went to the polls for particular elections in a single state Senate and two state Home districts, which turned vacant resulting from a sequence of appointments by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (RELATED: Democrats Vying For Trump’s Mar-A-Lago District)
Gregory received 51.1% of the vote to Maples’ 48.9%, with over 95% of the vote counted, in accordance with the Related Press. She is going to succeed former Republican Florida State Rep. Mike Caruso, who resigned from Home District 87 in August 2025 after DeSantis appointed him Clerk of the Circuit Court docket and Comptroller of Palm Seaside County. Greater than a mixed $1 million {dollars} had been spent between each candidates within the hotly contested particular election.
Gregory is a mom of three and Military spouse who owns a health enterprise for pregnant and postpartum ladies, in accordance with her marketing campaign web site. Her profile on the Democratic Legislative Marketing campaign Committee’s web site describes her as a “small enterprise proprietor and public well being skilled.” The Democrat closely emphasised affordability and value of residing — points which have spurred Democratic election victories in latest months — throughout her profitable run for workplace.
“An Military partner and mother of three younger boys, Emily is aware of the challenges Florida households face-from rising prices to restricted help for working mother and father,” Gregory’s web site states. “She’s able to convey her expertise and values to Tallahassee to battle for a more healthy, extra reasonably priced Florida the place households can thrive.”
US President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago is seen in Palm Seaside, Florida, on March 7, 2026. (Picture by Octavio JONES / AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
Maples, a former member of the Lake Clarke Shores City Council, in the meantime acquired a last-minute endorsement from Trump himself — a uncommon feat for a state legislative candidate.
“Jon is a really profitable Businessman and Civic Chief, who is understood and beloved, and likewise endorsed by so a lot of my Palm Seaside County buddies, together with by Nice State Consultant ‘MAGA’ Meg Weinberger. Jon will likely be a terrific Legislator!” the president wrote on Reality Social late Monday.
Texas Republican Leigh Wambsganss, whom Trump equally endorsed for a state-level race, misplaced an early February Texas State Senate particular election to a Democrat, additionally in a seat the president carried by double digits in 2024.
District 87 straddles the Atlantic coast and contains Palm Seaside — the place Trump’s property sits — in addition to North Palm Seaside, South Palm Seaside and a portion of West Palm Seaside. Trump received it by practically 11 proportion factors in 2024, however carried it by razor-thin margins throughout his different two runs for the presidency, in accordance with knowledge on Dave’s Redistricting App (DRA).
Mar-a-Lago’s most well-known resident received the district, together with his membership and resort. by simply half a proportion level in 2020 and by a mere 33 votes in 2016, per DRA knowledge. It voted for DeSantis by a landslide margin of 16.5 factors within the 2022 gubernatorial election however supported his Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum by lower than a degree 4 years earlier.
Hits near dwelling….
The seat that Ms. Gregory received had been held by a Republican who received by 19 proportion factors in 2024!
Florida Democrats Win Particular Election in Mar-a-Lago’s District by way of @NYTimes
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) March 25, 2026
Nationwide Democrats together with Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar celebrated Gregory’s win on X.
“Donald Trump’s personal neighbors in Florida simply despatched a message: They elected a Democrat, Emily Gregory, to function their consultant within the Florida state Home,” Democratic Nationwide Committee Chair Ken Martin wrote on the platform Tuesday night time. “If Democrats can win in Trump’s yard, we certain as hell can win anyplace throughout the nation. Onward to November!”
About 200 miles from Palm Seaside, a State Senate particular election between Democrat Brian Nathan and 30-year-old Republican State Rep. Josie Tomkow stays too near name per the AP, with Nathan narrowly main. Resolution Desk HQ, nevertheless, has referred to as the race for the Democrat.
The Tampa-area Senate District 14, which Trump received by over seven factors in 2024, was final held by Republican Florida Lt. Gov Jay Collins, whom DeSantis appointed in August 2025.
Not official but, however Florida Democrats are on the verge of their finest night time in practically 14 years.
They’re poised to flip a Trump+7 State Senate seat and a Trump+11 State Home seat in the identical night time.
— Zachary Donnini (@ZacharyDonnini) March 24, 2026
In response to his marketing campaign web site, Nathan is “a proud Navy veteran and devoted union chief” and a member of the Worldwide Brotherhood of Electrical Staff — making him the second member of his social gathering with a navy and labor background to flip a red-leaning State Senate seat previously two months. Democratic Texas State Sen. Taylor Rehmet, who defeated Wambsganss in February, can also be a navy veteran and union chief.
Republicans held Tomkow’s State Home seat, which Trump received by 13.6 factors in 2024, as GOP nominee Hilary Holley simply defeated Democrat Edwin Pérez by an eight-point margin, in accordance with the AP.
Tuesday’s election outcomes signify a outstanding turnaround for the Florida Democratic Social gathering which, lower than a yr in the past, noticed its state Senate Chief Jason Pizzo stop his position, register as an impartial and declare the state social gathering affiliate “useless.” An nameless Florida Democrat informed Politico in Could 2025 that the state social gathering was “such a goddamn shitshow.”
Nonetheless, DeSantis nonetheless holds sturdy GOP supermajorities in each homes of the Florida Legislature, heading into the midterms.
Even with the addition of Gregory, Democrats nonetheless management solely 34 of the Florida State Home’s 120 seats — accounting for 28% of seats, regardless of former Vice President Kamala Harris profitable 43% of the vote within the Sunshine State in 2024. Assuming Nathan’s lead holds, Democrats will equally management solely 12 of 40 State Senate seats — simply 30%.
Along with the seats in Florida and Texas, Democrats have received particular elections in seats Trump received by over 10 factors in Georgia, Iowa and Pennsylvania, for the reason that president started his second time period in workplace.
It is a breaking information story and will likely be up to date.
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