Democratic state Rep. Emily Gregory is seeking a full two-year term in Florida House District 87, the seat that includes Mar-a-Lago, and she is again facing Republican Jon Maples. Gregory won the March special election by 801 votes over Maples, who had the backing of President Trump.
In an interview with WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker, Gregory said homeowners insurance costs are the issue she hears about most from voters. She supports a catastrophic insurance fund paid for with money moved from other parts of the state budget. She opposes Amendment 3, which would expand property tax exemptions for homeowners, and warned that it could hurt local governments that rely on property tax revenue.
Gregory also raised questions about Maples’ residency. She said public records showed he was registered to vote at the Inlet Reef Motel and Apartments in Palm Beach Shores, and she wants him to say whether he lived there. The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections provided a record showing Maples changed his registered address on March 20. That record alone does not show where he lived, and Gregory’s claim has not been independently confirmed.
Maples and his campaign did not respond to repeated calls, texts and emails from WPBF seeking comment.
The race is a rematch of the March special election to replace Republican Mike Caruso, who left the House to become Palm Beach County clerk of court before his arrest on felony child sexual abuse charges. Voters will decide whether Gregory’s win was a one-time upset or the start of a longer Democratic hold on the district.
