Trump’s next Florida representative could be Democrat Emily Gregory

Emily GregoryA small business owner and first-time candidate for elected office is trying to pull off an upset in Florida’s special election Tuesday to represent Mar-a-Lago in the state Legislature.

Gregory is a Democrat running for state House District 87which runs along the coast of Southeast Florida and includes Palm Beach – where President Donald Trump’s home and resort is located – as well as South Palm Beach and Juno Beach.

“This is the kind of district that fits perfectly outside the bubble of where we’ve seen Democratic over-performance in these targeted races,” Heather Williams, chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said in an interview with reporters from CNBC and MS Now. “We can win it. It wouldn’t be a surprise if we don’t win it.”

Gregory is contesting against a Trump-backed candidate John Maples — a financial advisor and former college basketball player — in a district the GOP has controlled since 2022.

Republican Mike Caruso, who represented the territory in the state House until his resignation in 2025, won re-election. 2024 from 19 points. But as Trump decline in approval ratings And Democrats are showing gains across the country special electionGregory and his supporters see an opportunity to play the role of spoiler and potentially take a seat with major symbolic value.

But according to Gregory, Trump is not the focal point.

“It’s affected people’s interest in talking to me about this,” Gregory said in an interview. “He’s a constituent. But my focus is not just on one, but on all 115,000 voters in District 87.”

But in the MAGA era, Trump has also pulled off a sizable tally in some state and local races, especially those where the president has a personal stake. In January, Trump endorsed Maples, who lost her seat on the Lake Clark Shores Town Council last year.

Maples did not respond to multiple phone calls to his financial advisor’s office. His campaign did not respond to multiple email requests for comment. The Republican Party of Florida did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

“As your next State Representative, John will fight tirelessly to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote Made in the USA, stop immigrant crime, protect our elections, support our military, veterans and law enforcement, and protect our Second Amendment, which is always under siege,” the president wrote in a letter. Post on Truth Social In January.

Trump became a Florida resident in 2019, during his first term as president.

Maples has dubbed himself a “conservative outsider. America First patriot.”

On his campaign website, Maples says he will focus on “congested roads, polluted waterways” and “affordability challenges ranging from inflation to rising insurance premiums to ever-rising property taxes.” Noting Trump’s support, Maples called the president “the most transformational leader I have seen in my lifetime” in a social media post.

Maples said, “The positive effects of his presidency will be felt for generations – from the liberation of Venezuela to the incredible trade deals he is negotiating, to securing the southern border after 4 years of open border policies. America is better off with Donald J. Trump in the White House.” Posted on Instagram.

Gregory is eager to talk about affordability issues. She said she would focus on addressing the state property insurance crisis And concerns about rising health insurance costs with the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax subsidies earlier this year. He said the state legislature should expand Medicaid, stop gutting public education and focus more on kitchen issues.

Gregory said, “The legislature is focused on attacking vulnerable communities and participating in the culture wars, not on solving the affordability crisis in the state.”

But Gregory will have to work hard to win on Tuesday in a state where Republicans have a cash advantage Overnumber of registered Democratic voters By more than one million.

Gregory sees hope in national trends of Democrats outperforming in special elections last year, including in ruby-red Florida.

According to local outlets, Democrats outperformed 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in nine special elections in Florida in 2025, in some cases by double digits. mci map. And in December, Eileen Higgins became the first Democrat to win a mayoral race in Miami about 30 years.

Gregory said, “We’ve knocked on all the doors, we’ve made all the calls. I’m really proud of the campaign we ran. I think it’s going to be close, and I think we’re going to come out on the right side of it.”