she becomes the first female mayor of Miami and ends nearly 30 years of Republican hegemony

THE Democrat Eileen Higgins became the new mayor of Miami with almost 60% of the votes after winning the second round against the Republican Emilio T. Gonzalez, in municipal elections that, while officially nonpartisan, took place in 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 almost 30 years to govern the municipality, historically dominated by Cuban-American Republicans, which constitutes a severe setback for the party of President Donald Trump.

The Democrat, a 61-year-old former county commissioner, beat González, 68, who had received support from Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and received 40.5% of the vote.

“This evening, Miami residents made history. Together, we are putting years of chaos and corruption behind us and opening the door to a new stage for our city, marked by ethical and responsible leadership focused on real results for our people,” Higging said in a statement after the preliminary results were released.

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 10 points over Kamala Harris.

A boost for 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 the county Miami Dade clearly oriented towards the Republicans in 2024, some information indicates that in the city of Miami Harris He won by a slim margin, making the race a key thermometer for measuring Democrats’ ability to reconnect with a changing electorate.

The city of Miami, which has nearly half a million inhabitants, has a Hispanic population that represents approximately 70%.

Higgins based his campaign on confronting the increase in the cost of living, improve 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.

Both candidates also expressed opposing views on migration. González defended the strict measures of the Trump administration, which in recent weeks imposed new restrictions on applying for citizenship to 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%.