A city just half an hour south of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort has a new Democratic mayor following an extremely narrow election.
Andy Thomson was declared the winner of the mayoral race in Boca Raton, Florida, on Friday after early results indicated he won by just a single vote.
The election, which was held on Tuesday, was recounted twice due to the extremely narrow margin. The winning margin was eventually agreed to be just five votes. Thomson’s victory makes him the first Democrat to lead the city in more than 30 years.
Thomson, with 7,572 votes, beat his two rivals: Republicans Mike Liebelson and Fran Nachlas, who won 7,567 and 3,967 votes, respectively.
“I’m thrilled to congratulate Mayor-elect Andy Thomson on this monumental victory,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.
“Winning by a margin of just five votes, this race is proof that organizing everywhere and talking to every voter will make all the difference in 2026.”
The win is the latest example of a growing trend of Democrats flipping formerly Republican offices, many of which had been deeply red.
On Thursday, Democrat Bobbi Boudman beat Republican Dale Fincher for a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, marking the 28th such reversal since Trump took the White House in 2024.
Voters in Florida were seen to reject major redevelopment in the area and the power of wealthy developers, particularly the Terra and Frisbie Group’s proposed megaproject for the downtown government campus, which became the subject of the Save Boca campaign.
A measure on the ballot that would allow the development was voted down 3-to-1, while Thomson campaigned on addressing the affordability crisis, boosting housing access, and protecting public land—issues expected to sway voters in the national midterm elections in November.
“This victory reiterates an undeniable trend in Florida: Democrats can run and win anywhere—including Donald Trump’s backyard,” Fried said. “Floridians are tired of the chaos, corruption, and sky-high prices on everything from groceries to gas and healthcare.”
“They are voting for trusted leaders like Andy to steady the ship and return commonsense, people-centered solutions back to our communities.”
Recent polling suggests that 62 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 48 percent believe his policies are actively harming it. The cost of living remains a major voter concern, something a majority of voters don’t believe Trump is addressing properly.
Current projections for the midterm elections suggest that the Democrats could end up with a 12-seat majority in the House of Representatives, overturning the Republicans’ current four-seat lead.
Jennifer Jenkins, a fellow Democrat and Florida Senate candidate for the midterms, congratulated Thomson on his win.
“This is a reminder EVERY vote matters. Your vote is your voice. USE IT!” Jenkins wrote on social media. “Let’s keep the wave going.”
Thomson succeeds outgoing mayor Scott Singer and is due to take office on March 31.
