Democrat Eileen Higgins became the new mayor of Miami with nearly 60% of the vote in the runoff, defeating Republican Emilio T. González. Although officially nonpartisan, these municipal elections were held under the intense shadow of national politics.
Higgins thus becomes the first woman, the first non-Hispanic person, and the first Democrat in 24 years to lead the city, which has been historically dominated by Republican Cuban-Americans, dealing a major blow to President Donald Trump's party.
Her opponent, 68-year-old González, received the backing of Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis but managed to secure only 40.5% of the votes. After the preliminary results were announced, Higgins stated: "Tonight, the people of Miami made history. Together, we have left behind years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city—one marked by ethical, responsible leadership focused on real results for our people."
Higgins's campaign focused on tackling the rising cost of living, improving municipal services, and increasing local government transparency. In contrast, González, a retired Air Force colonel and former director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), centered his message on public safety, economic growth, and emergency preparedness, leveraging his military and administrative experience.
The candidates also held opposing views on migration. González defended the strict measures of the Trump administration, which recently imposed new restrictions on citizenship applications for Cubans and Venezuelans. Higgins deemed these policies "immoral."
The runoff was called after neither candidate reached more than 50% in the November 4th elections, when Higgins received 36% of the vote and González 19%. The Democratic National Committee had concentrated efforts on her campaign, and Senator Rubén Gallego traveled to Miami over the weekend to endorse her, as the party seeks to regain ground in Florida after years of setbacks.
