For Immediate Release

Gregory’s win builds on TN50’s new late-investment program, which backed six next-generation Democratic leaders in down-ballot races across the country, winning four races.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next 50 (TN50) last night celebrated the victory of Emily Gregory, a Democrat who flipped Florida House District 87 — a Trump +11 district that encompasses Mar-a-Lago — defeating Republican Jon Maples in a special election in which President Donald Trump himself voted absentee. The win is the capstone of TN50’s new Emerging Leaders late-investment program, which backed Gregory and five other exceptional down-ballot Democratic candidates ahead of their elections this cycle.

“Emily Gregory is exactly the kind of principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused leader that The Next 50 exists to find and support,” said TN50 Executive Director Mari Manoogian. “She ran a campaign rooted in the real concerns of Florida families by focusing on costs, flipped one of the most symbolically significant districts in the country, and proved that the right candidate with the right message can win on tough terrain. We are proud to have invested in her early, helped convene support from partner organizations, and we can’t wait to see her leadership in the Florida state house.”

Gregory, 40, is a mom of three, Army spouse, and small business owner who chose Jupiter, FL as home for its schools, affordability, and opportunity. After a career in public health, she built FIT4MOM Palm Beach into a countywide community supporting new and expecting mothers. At football practice, at church, and in conversations with other parents, she heard the same story — families struggling just to get by — and decided to run. Her campaign focused on lowering property insurance costs, protecting public education funding, and expanding access to health care. She sued Governor Ron DeSantis to compel him to call the special election after the seat sat vacant for months.

About the Emerging Leaders Program

Last night’s result caps a strong inaugural cycle for TN50’s new late-investment program, which targets down-ballot races where emerging Democratic leaders stand out — and where small investments can be decisive. 

“The Next 50 has built its reputation on providing early, high-conviction money and political support to emerging leaders,” Manoogian added. “This program is a natural complement to that mission. In small-budget local and state legislature races, late investments have outsized impact by closing budget gaps, allowing candidates to be relentlessly focused on voter contact and winning in the final days of their campaigns. We’re betting on the next generation of Democratic leaders before anyone else — and last night, that bet paid off again.”

In addition to Gregory’s historic win, TN50’s Emerging Leaders program supported three other winning candidates this cycle:

Danny Ceisler, 34 — elected Bucks County, PA Sheriff. A Bronze Star recipient, Army Reserve officer, and former plaintiff’s attorney who served as a senior public safety official in Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration, Ceisler flipped a seat previously held by a Republican working collaboratively with ICE.

Shawn Lavin, 44 — elected Amherst, NY Town Supervisor. A 21-year Air National Guard Major and sitting Amherst Town Board member, Lavin authored the Transparency in Budget Process Law and has deployed to COVID-19 relief efforts in New York City and Hurricane Helene recovery in North Carolina.

Erika Carlsen, 38 — elected Salt Lake City, UT City Councilor, District 5. A Harvard Divinity School graduate, Carlsen co-founded the Ballpark Action Team and has dedicated her career to leadership development and civic engagement.

TN50 expects each of these leaders to be considered for the organization’s full endorsement in future cycles.