"While it is a local race, this election has become the latest test of the nation's political mood nearly a year into President Donald Trump's second term. Trump and other big-name Florida Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott, have weighed in for the conservative candidate, former city manager Emilio Gonzalez, in the otherwise nonpartisan race. Nationally known Democrats, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have offered support on behalf of Eileen Higgins, a Democrat who served on the county commission before winning a runoff spot last month."
"Higgins, who had represented a district that leans conservative and includes the Cuban enclave of Little Havana, proudly wears the label of "La Gringa," a term Spanish speakers use for white Americans. A Spanish speaker herself, Higgins has focused her campaign relentlessly on local issues such as the cost of housing while capitalizing on national ones, including the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration in a city with sizable Hispanic and foreign-born populations."
Nearly three decades have passed since a Democrat last held Miami's mayoralty, and Democrats aim to reverse that trend in a special runoff with broader political stakes. The contest pits conservative former city manager Emilio Gonzalez, backed by President Trump and top Florida Republicans, against Democrat Eileen Higgins, who has county commission experience and support from national Democrats. An upset would boost Democratic momentum heading into critical midterm battles in a region trending Republican and where Trump plans a presidential library. Higgins represents a conservative-leaning Little Havana district, speaks Spanish, embraces the label "La Gringa," and emphasizes housing affordability and immigrant treatment.
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