Archive · 10 Dec 2025
Democrat Eileen Higgins Wins Miami Mayor Race
Eileen Higgins, a Democrat, won the Miami mayor race on Tuesday.
She is the first Democrat to win in nearly 30 years and the first woman and non-Hispanic mayor of Miami.
Higgins beat Emilio Gonzalez, a Republican supported by President Trump.
Her win is seen as a sign that Democrats might be gaining momentum in Miami, a city with a majority Hispanic population.
Higgins promised to focus on practical issues like affordable housing and cutting unnecessary spending.
The race was watched closely because it could show how voters in Miami feel about national politics, especially after Trump's support in the area.
Higgins' victory is a big deal because it shows that Democrats might be regaining support among Hispanic voters, who had largely supported Trump in recent elections.
Eileen Higgins, a Democrat, won the Miami mayoral runoff election, defeating Republican Emilio Gonzalez.
Higgins' victory marks the first Democratic win in Miami's mayoral race since 1997 and makes her the first female and non-Hispanic mayor of Miami.
The race was seen as a test of voter sentiment in Trump's stronghold and Hispanic support, with Trump endorsing Gonzalez and the DNC supporting Higgins.
Higgins campaigned on practical concerns like affordable housing, cutting unnecessary spending, and addressing Trump's immigration crackdown.
The victory is seen as a boost for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms, with Republicans expressing anxiety over losing Hispanic support.
- Who
- Eileen Higgins (Democrat) and Emilio Gonzalez (Republican)
- What
- Runoff election for the mayor of Miami
- When
- Tuesday, December 9, 2024
- Where
- Miami, Florida
- Why
- To determine the mayor of Miami and gauge voter sentiment ahead of future elections
Democrats
Republicans
Immigration Policies
Democrats
Higgins criticized Trump's immigration crackdown and pledged to find legal options to unwind Miami's participation in a federal program that delegates immigration authority to local police.
Republicans
Republicans, including Trump, support strict immigration policies and have tapped into the concerns of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan voters who liken progressive Democrats to the governments they fled.
Economic and Social Issues
Democrats
Higgins focused on practical concerns like affordable housing, cutting unnecessary spending, and addressing rising costs.
Republicans
Republicans emphasize secure borders, a healthy economy, and support for Trump's agenda, which they believe aligns with the values of many Hispanic voters.
- Candidate
- Eileen Higgins (Democrat)
- Opponent
- Emilio Gonzalez (Republican)
- Votes
- Higgins: 36% (first round), 59% (runoff); Gonzalez: 20% (first round), 41% (runoff)
- City
- Miami, Florida
- Population
- Roughly 487,000
- Significance
- First Democratic win since 1997, first female and non-Hispanic mayor
- Endorsements
- Trump (Gonzalez), DNC and prominent Democrats (Higgins)
- National Implications
- Test of voter sentiment in Trump's stronghold and Hispanic support
Sources
Democrat favored to win Miami mayor race in latest test of US voter sentiment
Who is Eileen Higgins? Democrat Scripts History with Miami Mayor Election Win
Who is Eileen Higgins, 1st female mayor of Miami? This Democrat broke 30-year grip of Republican on city
Democrat wins Miami mayor’s race for the first time in nearly 30 years
Democrat elected Miami mayor for first time in nearly three decades
Miami mayor election: Trump-backed candidate loses as Democrats record first win in 30 years
