Mar-a-Lago & Tampa Deliver Latest Earthquakes in Special Election Upsets

[RandySF]

PRESS RELEASE

WASHINGTON — State legislative Democrats just defied the odds in Trump’s backyard tonight with the latest round of special elections in Mar-a-Lago and Tampa. Florida Democrats Emily Gregory and Brian Nathan delivered decisive victories in deep Trump territory – Trump won these districts in 2024 by 11 points and 7.5 points, respectively. These victories chip away at the GOP supermajorities in both chambers, building momentum for November as the DLCC prepares to break GOP supermajorities in both chambers in Florida.

Democrats have now flipped 30 seats across the country since Trump was elected, while Republicans have not flipped a single one. Just this month, Democrats have flipped seats with upset wins in Arkansas and New Hampshire. Momentum is undeniable as the DLCC prepares for a target map that will deliver the biggest gains in two decades this November.

“Mar-a-Lago and Tampa just flipped red to blue, which should have Republicans sweating the midterms. A Trump +11 district in his own backyard shouldn’t be in play for Democrats, but tonight proves Republicans are vulnerable everywhere. State Democrats have now flipped a staggering 30 districts red to blue since Trump’s election. Gas prices are spiking, grocery costs are up, and families can’t get by – it’s clear voters at the polls are fed up with Republicans.

“If Mar-a-Lago and Tampa are vulnerable, imagine what’s possible this November. Democrats are clearly on offense as we prepare for the most expansive midterm strategy ever down-ballot, with 650 seats in play. 2026 is shaping up to be an election for the history books.”



https://www.dlcc.org/news/press/mar-a-lago-tampa-deliver-latest-earthquakes-in-special-election-upsets/

[Norbert]

1. Brian Nathan was outspent

By his opponent 10 to 1 but still managed to win.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. MaddowBlog-Special elections in Florida, including Mar-a-Lago's district, spell trouble for GOP

The more Democrats win closely watched races and flip seats from red to blue, the more Republicans should be concerned about the 2026 midterms.

The fact that Dems flipped the Mar-a-Lago district is amazing, the broader pattern is even more important:

The more Democrats win closely watched races, and flip seats from red to blue, the more Republicans should be terrified about the 2026 midterms.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-03-25T12:45:12.698Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/special-elections-in-florida-including-mar-a-lagos-district-spell-trouble-for-gop

Heading into Tuesday’s state legislative special election in Florida, Republicans had reason to be cautiously optimistic. The race was in a Palm Beach district that Donald Trump won by 11 points in 2024 (it’s the same district where Mar-a-Lago is located), and only about a third of local voters are registered Democrats.

And yet, the contest turned into the latest in a series of red-to-blue flips. MS NOW reported:

Democrats flipped a Republican-held seat in the Florida state House, with Emily Gregory winning a closely watched special election Tuesday night in a district that includes President Donald Trump’s home of Mar-a-Lago, according to The Associated Press.

Gregory beat Trump-endorsed Republican Jon Maples in the 87th District, which includes Palm Beach. With almost all votes counted, Gregory narrowly led by 2.4 percentage points, or 797 votes, according to the AP.

The president may try to downplay the results, but it was earlier this week when Trump not only voted for the Republican candidate but also described the contest as “a very important Special Election” while endorsing the GOP nominee.....

The Downballot noted in its latest analysis that if the vote tallies in the Tampa area hold, Democrats will have flipped 30 seats from red to blue in special elections since Trump returned to the White House. Over that same period, the number of seats flipped from blue to red remains zero.

Some will no doubt argue that it’s best not to read too much into a special election held in the winter, several months before November’s races. It’s a fair point. But what matters is how the results fit into the broader political landscape. Republicans are tied to an unpopular president, a growing number of their congressional members are retiring, key elements of the GOP agenda are facing an intensifying public backlash, and they keep losing special elections, including in contests they expected to win.

If party insiders aren’t concerned about their standing ahead of this year’s midterm elections, they’re not paying close enough attention.

[mercuryblues]

3. This brings a smile to my face.