Democrat Eileen Higgins made history on Wednesday by becoming the first member of her party elected mayor of Miami in nearly three decades, defeating Republican Emilio Gonzalez in a decisive runoff. CNN and the Associated Press called the race less than an hour after polls closed, with Higgins leading Gonzalez by 18 percentage points.
The Miami mayoral race, officially nonpartisan, drew national attention as a key test of voter sentiment in a Trump stronghold. Higgins’ victory is the first for a Democrat since Xavier Suarez won in 1997, ending decades of Republican control in the city. She is also the first woman and first non-Hispanic candidate since the 1990s to assume the role in Miami, a predominantly Hispanic city of roughly 487,000 residents.
Higgins framed her win as a local triumph, stating it “turned the page on years of chaos and corruption,” without emphasizing the national political implications.
However, her victory adds momentum to Democrats following a series of recent election successes in New Jersey, Virginia, New York City, and California, and signals potential shifts in Hispanic voter behavior in Miami-Dade County, where Trump captured 55% of the vote in 2024.
In the November 4 first round, Higgins received 36% of the vote, finishing first but short of a majority. Gonzalez, a former city manager and retired U.S. Army colonel, placed second with 18%, setting up the runoff.
While neither candidate ran overtly partisan campaigns, the contest took on national overtones after Trump endorsed Gonzalez, and the Democratic National Committee supported Higgins, along with prominent figures like Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Higgins’ historic win highlights evolving political dynamics in Miami-Dade and marks a milestone for female and Democratic leadership in the city, reflecting both local priorities and broader trends in voter engagement.
