Democrats flip Florida state seat in Trump's backyard
· Axios
Democrats on Tuesday flipped a Republican-leaning Florida state House seat that encompasses President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, per AP.
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The big picture: Democrat Emily Gregory beat the Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples in a special election in the Palm Beach County-based district that the president won by 11 points.
- Trump voted for Maples by mail, despite repeatedly railing against mail-in voting.
Zoom out: Republicans have been getting creamed in dozens of state legislative elections since Trump took office last year.
- Democratic candidates running for state legislative seats this year have outperformed 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris' vote totals by nearly 11 points, according to The Downballot, a site that tracks congressional and state-level elections.
- The sluggish GOP voter turnout is deeply concerning Republican strategists ahead of the midterm elections.
Reality check: Though Florida Republicans are disappointed by the outcome, they're still expressing confidence they'll keep the governorship and a U.S. Senate this in the fall midterms.
- Republicans have not lost a statewide race in Florida since 2018, and the party maintains control of the state legislature.
What they're saying: "A slow-turnout state House special election is a snapshot of local quirks, candidate dynamics, and turnout math — not some grand verdict," said Republican National Committee Senior Adviser Danielle Alvarez Tuesday night.
The other side: "Donald Trump's own neighbors just sent a crystal clear message: They are furious and ready for change," Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said in a Tuesday night statement.
Marc Caputo contributed reporting.