Democrat Emily Gregory knew her upset victory on Tuesday night in Florida was a big deal when her third-grader told her, “Mom, you really surprised me.”
Gregory, a first-time candidate and fitness business owner, defeated Jon Maples, a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump and aligned with his policies. The two were going head-to-head in a special election for a district that includes the president’s Palm Beach home, Mar-a-Lago. The Democrat’s win was an upset: Despite Palm Beach County leaning left, this district was a red enclave, with Republicans holding a significant voter-registration advantage and the Republican who vacated the seat last year winning it by 19 percentage points in 2024.
