Miami elects new mayor: after 30 years of defeats in office, Democrat Higgins wins

Eileen Higgins won the Miami mayoral election by a landslide of 19%, becoming the first woman and first Democrat to hold the office in a decade.

In the runoff election, Higgins, a Democrat, received about 60% of the vote. Her opponent, Republican Emilio Gonzalez, conceded defeat and congratulated the new mayor. The victory marked the end of three decades of Republican dominance in the city.

Although the election was formally nonpartisan, national political figures participated actively. Gonzalez was endorsed by figures such as Donald Trump, Governor Ron DeSantis, and Senator Ted Cruz. Higgins, on the other hand, received support from the Democratic National Committee and prominent politicians such as Pete Buttigieg and Ruben Gallego.

An engineer by training, Higgins began her political career in 2018 as a Miami-Dade County commissioner. Her campaign focused on affordable housing, transparency in government, and protecting immigrant rights.

After the vote was counted, Higgins held a celebratory event at her campaign headquarters, where she said, “Today, history is being rewritten.” She has received support from local politicians, commissioners, and activists who see the victory as an opportunity to renovate city government.

Although the mayorship is largely ceremonial, the new mayor promises to be a full-time job. Her election was an important step for Democrats, especially with the 2026 election looming.

Higgins’ victory could signal a potential shift in Florida’s political landscape.