The Democrat Eileen Higgins This Tuesday became the new mayor of Miami with almost 60% of the vote after winning the runoff against Republican Emilio T. González, in municipal elections that, although officially nonpartisan, took place under the intense shadow of national politics.
Higgins thus becomes the first woman and first non-Hispanic person to become mayor of Miamiin addition to the first Democrat elected in 24 years to govern the municipality, historically dominated by Cuban-American Republicans, in a severe setback for the party of President Donald Trump.
The Democrat, a 61-year-old former county commissioner, defeated González, 68, who had received support from Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and received 40.5% of the vote.
“Tonight, the people of Miami made history. Together, we left behind years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city – an era marked by ethical, responsible leadership and focused on real results for our people,” Higging said in a statement after learning of the preliminary results.
The race gained national attention after the Republican attempt to extend to the city of Miami the electoral dominance they consolidated in 2024, when Trump surprisingly won Miami-Dade County by more than ten points over Kamala Harris.
The victory of the Democrats
For Democrats, Higgins’ victory represents a symbolic and strategic impulse. The Democratic National Committee had focused its efforts on her campaign and Senator Rubén Gallego traveled to Miami this weekend to support her, as the party seeks to regain ground in Florida after years of setbacks.
The election, however, took place in a complex local context. Although Miami-Dade County tilted clearly Republican in 2024, some reports indicate that in the city of Miami, Harris won by a razor-thin margin, making that race a key thermometer for measuring Democrats’ ability to reconnect with a changing electorate.
The city of Miami, which has a population of nearly half a million, has a Hispanic population of around 70%. Higgins based his campaign on fighting the rising cost of livingimprove municipal services and strengthen the transparency of local government.
In contrast, González, a retired Air Force colonel and former director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), focused his message on public safety, economic growth and emergency preparedness, drawing on his military and administrative experience.
The two candidates also expressed opposing views on migration. González defended the Trump administration’s strict measureswhich in recent weeks has imposed new restrictions on citizenship applications for Cubans and Venezuelans. Higgins called the policies “immoral.”
The runoff was triggered after neither reached more than 50% in the November 4 election, when Higgins received 36% of the vote and González 19%.
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