HD 87 Voters to Fill Long-Vacant Seat as Emily Gregory, Jon Maples Face Off in Special Election Voters in Florida’s House District 87 will cast ballots Tuesday to select a replacement for the legislative seat that has remained vacant since August, when Republican state Rep. Mike Caruso resigned to become the county’s Clerk and Comptroller. The district, which spans coastal areas including Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno Beach, and Hypoluxo, has been without representation for seven months. The extended vacancy became a central issue in the race, as the delay in scheduling the special election prompted Democrat Emily Gregory to file a lawsuit arguing voters were denied a voice during the 2026 Legislative Session. Though the lawsuit became moot after Gov. Ron DeSantis called the election in late October, the absence of representation during key legislative debates highlighted the urgency of the contest. The race pits Democrat Emily Gregory, a 40-year-old first-time candidate and owner of a Jupiter-based fitness center for pregnant and postpartum women, against Republican Jon Maples, a 43-year-old financial planner and former Lake Clarke Shores Council member. Both candidates advanced to the general election after dominant primary wins in January, each securing over 80% of the vote in their respective contests. Maples, who has ties to the Republican Party and received endorsements from President Donald Trump, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and several state lawmakers, has positioned himself as a proponent of tax cuts, reduced government spending, and school choice policies. His campaign has raised over $440,000 in contributions, with significant support from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and substantial spending on digital and TV advertising.#ron_desantis #emily_gregory #jon_maples #florida_house_district_87 #mike_caruso
Trump's Next Florida Rep Could Be Democrat Emily Gregory Democrat Emily Gregory will face Republican Jon Maples in a Tuesday special election for a Florida state House seat in Palm Beach County. Gregory, a small business owner and first-time political candidate, is seeking to challenge the Republican stronghold in the district, which includes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The race is seen as a potential test of Democratic momentum in a state where Republicans have historically dominated. Gregory is running for state House District 87, a coastal region spanning southeast Florida and encompassing areas like Palm Beach, South Palm Beach, and Juno Beach. The district has been a Republican stronghold since 2022, with Republican Mike Caruso winning re-election in 2024 by 19 points. However, Democrats have shown strength in recent special elections, including gains in Florida, where they outperformed 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in nine races. Maples, the Republican candidate, is a Trump-endorsed financial advisor and former college basketball player. His campaign highlights issues like traffic congestion, polluted waterways, and affordability challenges, including rising insurance costs and property taxes. Maples has praised Trump’s presidency, calling him “the most transformative leader” and citing policies like border security and trade deals as key achievements. Trump, who moved to Florida in 2019, has also endorsed Maples, framing him as a “conservative outsider” and “America First patriot.” Gregory, however, is focusing on state-level issues such as the property insurance crisis and spiking health insurance costs, which have worsened as Affordable Care Act tax subsidies expire.#trump #mar_a_lago #emily_gregory #jon_maples #florida_state_house_district_87
Trump casts mail ballot in Florida even as he calls the method 'cheating' President Donald Trump cast a mail ballot in an upcoming Florida special election, according to Palm Beach County records, as he publicly condemns the voting method as fraudulent. "Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating. I call it mail-in cheating, and we got to do something about it all," Trump said Monday. Public records indicate his mail ballot was received and counted by election officials in Palm Beach County, where he is registered to vote, though the records don't detail how it was delivered to election officials. This is not the first time Trump has voted by mail while criticizing the method. He did so in 2020, and at that time, NBC News asked him how he reconciled his criticism of mail-in voting with the fact that he voted by mail. "You know why I voted? Because I happened to be in the White House and I won't be able to go to Florida and vote," he said. "There's a big difference between somebody who is out of state and does a ballot and everything is sealed and certified and everything else," he added, before claiming without evidence that thousands of people were signing ballots fraudulently in their living rooms. "I think mail-in voting is a terrible thing. I think if you vote, you should go." Trump's actions have been accompanied by his advocacy for the SAVE America Act, a massive elections overhaul bill he has pushed in Congress. The bill includes exceptions for mail-in ballots in cases of illness, disability, military service, or travel but prohibits universal mail-in voting, which Trump claims is highly susceptible to fraud.#donald_trump #save_america_act #mar_a_lago #palm_beach_county #jon_maples
Trump just voted by a method he calls ‘mail-in cheating’ President Donald Trump, who has been actively pushing senators to restrict the use of mail-in voting, cast his ballot by mail in Tuesday’s special election in Palm Beach County, Florida. The vote occurred in a race for a state legislative seat between Democrat Emily Gregory and Republican Jon Maples. According to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections website, Trump, who is registered to vote at his Mar-a-Lago estate in the county, submitted a mail ballot for the election. A spokesperson for the supervisor’s office confirmed to The Washington Post that the information on the site is accurate. The decision to vote by mail has drawn attention given Trump’s recent public criticism of mail-in voting, which he has labeled as a form of “cheating.” His comments have been part of broader efforts to influence state legislatures to implement stricter voting laws, particularly in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. However, the supervisor’s office noted that Trump’s own participation in the mail voting process aligns with standard procedures for eligible voters. The spokesperson emphasized that the county’s election system operates under strict protocols to ensure the integrity of the process. The special election in Palm Beach County was held to fill a vacant seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Trump’s vote, while not a major factor in the outcome of the race, highlights the irony of his stance on mail-in voting. The county’s election website provides detailed records of all ballots cast, including those submitted by mail, and the supervisor’s office has not indicated any irregularities in Trump’s ballot.#donald_trump #mar_a_lago #palm_beach_county #emily_gregory #jon_maples
