Democrat Eileen Higgins became this Tuesday the new mayor of Miami with nearly 60% of the votes after winning in the second round against Republican Emilio T. González, in a municipal election that, despite being officially non-partisan, took place under the intense shadow of national politics.
Eileen Higgins thus becomes the first woman and the first non-Hispanic to become mayor of Miami, as well as the first Democrat elected in 24 years to govern the municipality, historically dominated by Cuban-American Republicans, in a major setback to the party of President Donald Trump.
Eileen Higgins wins Miami mayoralty
With her runoff victory tonight, Eileen Higgins will be Miami’s next mayor-the first woman in the city’s history and the first Democrat in nearly 30 years elected to the office.
Congrats, Mayor-elect! pic.twitter.com/lSyZ087Xvc
– Democrats (@TheDemocrats) December 10, 2025
The Democrat, a 61-year-old former county commissioner, defeated Gonzalez, 68, who had received the endorsement of Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and won 40.5% of the vote.
“Tonight, the people of Miami made history. Together we left behind years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city – one marked by ethical, accountable leadership focused on real results for our people,” Higging said in a statement after the preliminary results were released.
The race attracted national attention following the Republican attempt to extend to the city of Miami the electoral dominance they consolidated in 2024, when Trump surprisingly won Miami-Dade County by more than ten points over Kamala Harris.
For Democrats, Eileen Higgins’ victory represents a symbolic and strategic boost.
Tu donativo brinda terapias, esperanza y un futuro sin límites a niños con discapacidad. Haz la diferencia hoy.
Dona y cambia vidas
The Democratic National Committee had focused efforts on her campaign, and Senator Ruben Gallego traveled to Miami over the weekend to endorse her, as the party seeks to regain ground in Florida after years of setbacks.
The election, however, took place in a complex local context.
Although Miami-Dade County moved clearly Republican in 2024, some reports indicate that in the city of Miami Harris won by a razor-thin margin, making this race a key thermometer for measuring the Democrats’ ability to reconnect with a changing electorate.
The city of Miami, with nearly half a million inhabitants, has a Hispanic population of around 70%.
Eileen Higgins based her campaign on addressing the rising cost of living, improving municipal services and strengthening the transparency of local government.
In contrast, Gonzalez, a retired Air Force colonel and former director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), focused his message on public safety, economic growth and emergency preparedness, drawing on his military and administrative experience.
Both candidates also reflected opposing views on migration.
González defended the strict measures of the Trump administration, which in recent weeks imposed new restrictions on Cuban and Venezuelan citizenship applications. Higgins called those policies “immoral.”
The runoff was called after neither reached more than 50% in the November 4 election, when Eileen Higgins obtained 36% of the vote and Gonzalez 19%.
With information from EFE
