Higgins Becomes First Democratic Miami Mayor in Nearly 30 Years

Miami voters on Tuesday elected Eileen Higgins as the city’s next mayor, making her the first Democrat to hold the office in nearly three decades.

Higgins won roughly 60% of the vote in the runoff, according to CNN and the Miami Herald, defeating Republican candidate Emilio T. Gonzalez, who had been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Turnout was low, with only about 20% of registered voters casting ballots.

Miami’s politics have long been shaped by its large Latino population, particularly Cuban American Republicans who have dominated city leadership for much of the last 30 years. Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago Club sits about 107 kilometers north of Miami, carried Florida in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections.

“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,” Higgins said in a statement, according to media reports.

Higgins, 61, is not only the first Democrat to win the mayoralty since the 1990s but also the first woman ever elected to the position. Her victory continues a streak of Democratic wins this year, following major races in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York — a trend widely viewed as a political setback for Trump’s return to power earlier this year.