Trump’s next Florida rep could be Emily Gregory

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

Gregory is a Democrat running for the state House District 87It includes South Palm Beach and Juno Beach, which runs along Florida’s southeast coast and includes Palm Beach, where President Donald Trump’s home and resort are located.

“This is the kind of district that’s kind of outside the bubble where we’re seeing Democratic overperformance in targeted races,” Heather Williams, chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said in an interview with CNBC and MS Now reporters. “We can win. If we don’t, it won’t be a surprise.”

Gregory takes on candidate Trump supports Jon Maples — a financial advisor and former college basketball player — in a district the GOP has controlled since 2022.

Republican Mike Caruso, who represents the district in the State House until his resignation in 2025, was re-elected. 2024 19 points. But like Trump’s approval ratings dropped and Democrats across the country are showing gains special electionsGregory and his supporters see an opportunity to play spoiler and potentially take a seat of great symbolic value.

But according to Gregory, the focus is not on Trump.

“That affected people’s interest in talking to me about this,” Gregory said in an interview. “He’s a voter. But I’m more focused on all 115,000 voters in the 87th District, not just one voter.”

But in the MAGA era, Trump is even cutting a large number in some state and local races, especially those in which the president has personal interests. In January, Trump endorsed Maples, who left her seat on the Lake Clarke Shores City Council last year.

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

“As your next State Representative, Jon will fight tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN USA, Stop Immigrant Crime, Protect Our Elections, Support Our Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, and Defend the Always Under Siege Second Amendment,” the President wrote in a letter. Post on Truth Social In January.

Trump resided in Florida during his first term as president in 2019.

Maples has branded himself a “conservative outsider. America first patriot.”

On her campaign website, Maples says she will focus on “congested roads, polluted waterways” and “affordability challenges, from inflation to rising insurance premiums to ever-increasing property taxes.” After receiving Trump’s endorsement, Maples called the president “the most transformative leader I have ever seen in my life” in a social media post.

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

Gregory is eager to talk about affordability issues. He said he would focus on the state’s problems property insurance crisis and concerns about rising health insurance costs as Affordable Care Act tax subsidies expired earlier this year. He said the state legislature should expand Medicaid, stop undermining public education and focus more on kitchen table issues.

“The legislature is focused on attacking vulnerable communities and participating in culture wars and not on solving the state’s economic crises,” Gregory said. he said.

But in a state where Republicans have a cash advantage, Gregory has an uphill climb to win Tuesday. more than the number of registered Democratic voters. more than a million.

Gregory sees hope in national trends of Democratic outperformance in last year’s special elections, including in ruby-red Florida.

Democrats outpaced 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in nine 2025 special elections in Florida, in some cases by double digits, according to local media. MCI Maps. And in December, Eileen Higgins became the first Democrat to win a mayoral race in Miami. almost 30 years.

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