Eileen Higgins becomes Miami's first Democratic mayor in 30 years

"Democrat Eileen Higgins was elected mayor of Miami on Tuesday night in a stunning upset victory that reversed a run of recent Republican successes in Florida. The election of Higgins, 61, a former county commissioner, also added to a string of Democratic wins across the country that have served to highlight the growing level of resistance to Donald Trump in his second presidential term."

"Miami-Dade, a county with a significant immigrant population, voted for Trump in historic numbers in 2024, making him the first Republican presidential candidate to win it since 1988. That majority melted away in Tuesday's run-off as Higgins became the first Democrat in 30 years to become mayor of the city of Miami. After winning 36% of the vote in last month's election after which the top two candidates moved forward, she bested Republican Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager."

"Republicans' determination to retain the office in what was, in theory at least, a nonpartisan race was reflected in the number of party heavyweights who lined up to back Gonzalez. Trump posted two fulsome endorsements on Truth Social, both spelling Gonzalez's name incorrectly, and aligning him with the Trump agenda for secure borders and cracking down on migrant crime. Higgins, too, focused much of her campaign on immigration."

Eileen Higgins, 61, won the Miami mayoral runoff in an upset, becoming the first Democrat in 30 years to lead the city. Higgins flipped Miami-Dade, which had voted for Donald Trump in 2024, by framing the election around immigration and criticizing the president's policies. She won after taking 36% in the preliminary election and then defeating Republican Emilio Gonzalez, who garnered establishment Republican support and endorsements from Trump on Truth Social. Higgins criticized Trump-era immigration measures including support for an immigration detention facility and moves to end TPS and humanitarian parole. Her pro-immigrant messaging resonated in a city that is 57% foreign-born.

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