Eileen Higgins, a Democrat and former county commissioner, defeated Republican Emilio Gonzalez, a former Miami city manager, in Tuesday’s mayoral runoff election.
For the first time in nearly 30 years, Democrats broke their long-running losing streak at the ballot box in Miami, Florida—often referred to as the nation’s “Gateway to Latin America.”
Although the contest was officially nonpartisan, it quickly became another partisan flashpoint in a year marked by competitive races across the country. Both national parties heavily invested in the runoff, framing Miami as a key battleground and drawing nationwide attention.
Former President Donald Trump openly backed Gonzalez, who previously served on Trump’s Homeland Security Department transition team. Trump urged voters on social media over the weekend to support Gonzalez, calling the contest «a big and important race.» The Republican Party of Florida also injected significant resources into the Republican candidate’s campaign.
Democrats, however, entered the race with fresh momentum following sweeping victories in the 2025 general elections and a strong performance in last week’s special election in a Republican-leaning district in Tennessee. That energy translated into a historic triumph in Miami, where the party had struggled for decades to make electoral gains.
Higgins’ victory marks a major political shift in a city long dominated by conservative voting patterns and underscores broader national trends heading into the next election cycle.
