Democrat Eileen Higgins won the Miami mayoral race Tuesday, defeating a Republican endorsed by Donald Trump. She received 59% of the vote to Emilio González’s 41%. The 61-year-old becomes the first female mayor in the 130-year history of Miami.
“Tonight, the people of Miami made history,” Higgins told supporters. “We turned the page on years of chaos and corruption.” Trump flipped Miami-Dade County red last year after losing it by a crushing 30 points to Hillary Clinton in 2016.
The win matters because Miami’s been trending Republican. Trump flipped Miami-Dade County red last year after losing it by 30 points to Hillary Clinton in 2016. So a Democrat winning the mayor’s race is quite surprising.
González rang Higgins to concede Tuesday night. “We respect you, and we will give you all the latitude you need to do great things,” he told her.
The race drew national attention. Trump posted on social media that Miami’s election “is a big and important race.” Pete Buttigieg, Senator Ruben Gallego, and Rahm Emanuel all campaigned for Higgins. The Democratic National Committee helped out too.
Higgins served seven years as a Miami-Dade County commissioner before this run. She campaigned heavily on housing costs and Trump’s immigration crackdown. In a Hispanic-majority city, she talked a lot about families worried about relatives being detained.
“No more endless delays for families trying to fix a home or small business trying to open,” Higgins said Tuesday. “We will cut red tape and repair what’s broken.”
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava attended the celebration. “For nearly 130 years since Julia Tuttle founded this city, Miami has never elected a woman as mayor,” she said. “That changes tonight.”
The race started with 13 candidates on November 4th. Higgins got 36%, and González got 19%. With no one topping 50%, it went to Tuesday’s runoff.
Here’s a funny bit. González filed a lawsuit in July that challenged Miami’s decision to postpone the mayoral election. His lawsuit made Tuesday’s vote possible. Asked if the lawsuit was worth it after losing, González said, “Absolutely. Think of the irony. I filed a lawsuit to have an election that I participated in and lost.”
Democrats see the result as proof that their message on affordability and immigration works, even in areas where Trump made gains. The party hopes this energy helps them flip the House next year.
Miami’s quite important. It is the second-largest city in Florida and really the gateway to Latin America. The mayor’s job is largely ceremonial, not an executive position, but Higgins pledged to treat it like a full-time gig.
Florida Republicans have played well with Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan voters. These voters frequently compare progressive Democrats to politicians in the governments they left behind. Trump tapped into that effectively.
But some local Republicans are annoyed. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar posted on X that “the Hispanic vote is not guaranteed” and “Hispanics married President Trump, but they are only dating the GOP.”
Trump won Miami-Dade County all the way back in 2024, but Kamala Harris narrowly carried the city itself last year. That split suggested Democrats could compete if they tried hard enough.
Higgins will succeed Republican Mayor Francis Suarez, who briefly ran for president in 2023. The city may become home to Trump’s presidential library, which makes having a Democratic mayor particularly interesting.
Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, said, “Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins’ win shows what Democrats can accomplish when we organise everywhere. Tonight’s result is another warning sign to Republicans.”
For Republicans, Tuesday’s result is worrying. After a strong performance in 2024, the GOP’s seen candidates perform poorly in several special elections. Miami adds to those concerns.
Higgins told supporters, “This isn’t just a celebration but also a promise because Miami is facing real challenges, and tonight marks the beginning of the work ahead.”
The Democratic Mayors Association said, “Eileen Higgins’ victory proves that Miami residents are ready for a new Democratic mayor who will lead boldly on affordability, climate action, and infrastructure.”
Miami is a ripe test case for both parties going into the 2026 midterms. Democrats have picked up recent races in New Jersey, Virginia, and Tennessee. Republicans believed they’d keep Miami in the bag, no problem. They didn’t.
Higgins will take office with plans to address housing costs, climate resilience, and government transparency. Whether she can actually deliver on those promises in a ceremonial role remains to be seen. But for now, Democrats are celebrating their first Miami mayoral win since the 1990s.