Democrats won two Florida legislative special elections, including a state House seat in the district containing Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
Democrats scored a surprise victory in Florida on Tuesday after candidate Emily Gregory won a state House race in a district that includes Mar‑a‑Lago, the home of Donald Trump. The upset came as Democrats also narrowly captured a state Senate seat in the Tampa area, continuing a recent trend of flipping Republican-held legislative districts nationwide.
Gregory defeated Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Jon Maples by just over two percentage points in the Palm Beach County contest. The first-time candidate said the result reflected voter priorities, stating, “I think it demonstrates where the Florida voter is. They want someone who is focused on solutions and the issues and not focused on the noise.”
Although the victories do not change the Republican supermajority in the Florida Legislature, Democrats quickly celebrated the wins as a sign of shifting political momentum. Nikki Fried said the outcome showed Democrats could compete across the state, adding that voters were frustrated with rising costs and political turmoil.
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