Eileen Higgins, a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner, won the Miami mayoral runoff election on Tuesday, marking the city’s first Democratic mayor in three decades.
Higgins secured 59% of the votes in a tightly contested race with 13 candidates, while Miami coach Emilio Gonzalez garnered 41%.
“Our city has chosen a new direction,” Higgins said to her supporters. “You chose competence over chaos, results over excuses, and ultimately a city government that works for you.”
“Even though the race was officially nonpartisan, Ms. Higgins had backing from notable Democrats, while Republicans, including Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Trump, supported Mr. Gonzalez,” CBS News reported. “Official records indicate that 37,496 of the 175,692 registered voters cast their ballots on Tuesday, leading to a turnout of 21.3%.”
Higgins aims to tackle critical issues such as affordable housing and plans to utilize city land to construct new homes for working families. She also criticized the current immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, labeling it as “inhumane and cruel,” although she expressed a willingness to collaborate on mutually agreeable issues.
“No more endless delays for families trying to fix up their homes or small businesses gearing up to open,” Higgins emphasized. “We will cut red tape, repair what’s broken, and modernize City Hall. Tackling the affordability crisis will be treated with the urgency Miami families need. We will enhance street safety by backing law enforcement and fortifying our ties with the community. Protecting Biscayne Bay will be a priority.”
Higgins acknowledged her opponent, Emilio Gonzalez, calling him a “good guy.” She remarked, “I just spoke to my opponent, Emilio Gonzalez. I’ve known him for a long time, and I truly respect him. He genuinely cares about our community, which is what truly matters.”
According to WLRN, outgoing Mayor Francis X. Suarez, who had a brief presidential campaign in 2024, is term-limited.
“Mr. Suarez and three of the five city commissioners attempted to delay the mayoral election until November 2026, claiming that this would save money and boost voter turnout. This delay would grant Mr. Suarez and other local officials an additional year in their terms,” the newspaper stated.
