Democrat Eileen Higgins won Miami’s mayoral race on Tuesday night, defeating her opponent Emilio González, a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump.
The 61-year-old former county commissioner is the first woman to be elected in post—which is officially nonpartisan—since the first mayor of Miami, John B. Reilly, took office in 1896, and the first Democrat to take the helm of the Florida city in nearly 30 years.
She is also, notably, the first non-Hispanic mayor the city has had since the 1990s.
“Tonight, the people of Miami made history,” Higgins said in a statement after her victory was announced on Tuesday night shared with Newsweek. “Together, we turned the page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city—one defined by ethical, accountable leadership that delivers real results for the people.”
Newsweek contacted Gonzalez’ campaign team, the Florida GOP, and the Florida Democratic Party for comment by email on Wednesday morning, outside of standard working hours.
Why It Matters
Higgins’ victory is not only important for the city of Miami; it also boosts Democrats’ momentum after the stunning victories reported by the party in November, when Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election and Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill won the governor races in Virginia and New Jersey, respectively.
It is also another blow to Republicans and Donald Trump, whose approval rating has been declining more or less steadily since mid-September amid growing concerns over the U.S. economy and the cost of living.
While his rating has reported a modest improvement, only 41 percent of U.S. voters approve of his work.
What To Know
After securing 36 percent of the vote in last month’s election and proceeding to the run-off with Gonzáles, Higgins secured over 59 percent of the votes on Tuesday night, according to official results. Her Republican rival, a former city manager who had also been endorsed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, got 41 percent of the votes.
“Miami chose a new direction,” Higgins told supporters at her victory party. “You chose competence over chaos.”
The mayor of Miami is officially a nonpartisan position, and Higgins has said that she will “lead a city that belongs to everyone.”
But during her campaign, Higgins clearly framed herself as a Democrat candidate. She ran on issues including immigration and affordable housing, positioning herself in stark opposition to the president in her treatment of migrants, who represent over half of the Miami-Dade County’s population.
According to the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, 54 percent of Miami-Dade County’s 2.7 million residents were born outside the U.S. Miami also boasts a thriving Latin American community, with 69.1 percent of the county’s residents being Hispanic or Latinos.
During the Miami mayoral debate, Higgins called the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, including raids on the migrant communities across the country, “inhumane and cruel.”
A map created by VoteHub, showing the results of the Miami mayoral race in contrast with the results of the 2024 presidential race in the city, reveals how voters have shifted toward the Democratic Party in this latest run-off.
What People Are Saying
Higgins said in a statement released after her victory: “This victory belongs to every resident who knocked on doors, gathered petitions, made phone calls, and believed that integrity and hard work could triumph over politics as usual. Together, we built something extraordinary: a movement powered not by insiders or special interests, but by residents from every single neighborhood in Miami who love our city and demand better.”
She told The Associated Press after her victory speech: “We are facing rhetoric from elected officials that is so dehumanizing and cruel, especially against immigrant populations. The residents of Miami were ready to be done with that.”
Gonzalez said on Tuesday night that he had called Higgins to congratulate her.
Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement reported by AP: “Tonight’s result is yet another warning sign to Republicans that voters are fed up with their out-of-touch agenda that is raising costs.”
David Jolly, a Democrat running to replace DeSantis next year, wrote on X: “Change is here and there’s a brighter future waiting for Florida.”
What Happens Next
Higgins’ victory is undoubtedly a win for the Democratic Party as well as a warning to the GOP and Trump ahead of the high-stakes midterm elections next year.
While Trump won Miami-Dade in 2024 and the state of Florida has been moving to the right for years now, voting Republican since 2016, Higgins’ victory might be signaling that a change of direction is in the air.
If the GOP’s advantage in Miami-Dade is swept away, this could have great consequences for both the GOP and the Democratic Party: Miami-Dade is the most populous county in Florida, with 2.7 million voters.
Higgins will replace the outgoing mayor, Republican Francis Suarez.
This article was updated with a statement shared by Higgins’ campaign team.
