Democrat Katherine Waldron is running to unseat Republican Sara Baxter in the Palm Beach County Commission District 6 race, a contest that will test whether the GOP can hold ground it gained in South Florida in recent cycles. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Baxter won the seat in 2022 with 52.5% of the vote. A Beacon Insights poll conducted in September found Waldron ahead 52-37%, a margin that grew to 59-41% after respondents read balanced biographies of both candidates. The same survey found Baxter’s favorability underwater, with 24% viewing her positively and 38% unfavorably.
Baxter has faced recent negative coverage, including allegations she denies that she pressured a staffer into a sexual relationship with a donor. Reports also said she accepted and later returned a $10,000 donation from the lead developer of the Project Tango data center, and a late-night helicopter ride with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office that investigators called a “sightseeing tour.”
Waldron, a former state representative and Port of Palm Beach commissioner, lost her House District 93 seat in 2024 by 356 votes. She has also faced a residency challenge, which was dropped. She is endorsed by the Palm Beach Post and the county’s Police Benevolent Association.
The district covers the western end of the county, including Belle Glade, Westlake and rural areas and protected wetlands. Both candidates list Everglades restoration and environmental protection among their priorities. Baxter, who runs an auto repair shop with her husband, is campaigning on lower taxes and small business support. She has the backing of President Donald Trump, who has endorsed her campaign.
