Miami’s Mayoral Runoff Election
Voters in Miami, Florida, participated in a runoff election for mayor on Tuesday. This race has attracted significant national attention lately as Democrats look to break a long-standing losing streak in predominantly red Florida.
Democrat Eileen Higgins, a former county commissioner, faces off against Republican Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager who has the backing of President Donald Trump.
While the election is officially nonpartisan, it represents another clash between the two main parties this year, with both investing heavily in their campaigns.
Democrats are buoyed by recent successes, including a notable victory in the 2025 election and strong performance in Tennessee’s special election last week. They’re targeting a win in Miami, hoping to achieve this for the first time in thirty years.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is actively involved, with Chairman Kent Martin stating that they’re currently “focused” on this runoff after last week’s “historic performance” and a surge of Democratic momentum nationwide.
Martin emphasized that the DNC is fully behind Higgins until Election Day. Meanwhile, Gonzalez is receiving support from the Florida Republican Party, and Trump took to social media urging voters to back Gonzalez.
Florida has seen a significant shift to the right over the last decade, with Governor Ron DeSantis winning re-election by nearly 20 points and Trump carrying the state by 13 points in last year’s presidential contest.
Despite this, Miami stands out as a blue bastion. Trump narrowly lost the city in the last election but won the broader Miami-Dade County by 11 points.
Higgins, a mechanical engineer and former Peace Corps director, has emphasized affordability and improving local government efficiency during her campaign. In contrast, Gonzalez, a veteran and property management consultant, has campaigned on curbing overdevelopment and eliminating property taxes for primary housing.
In the first round of voting on November 4, Higgins secured 36% while Gonzalez garnered 19%, setting the stage for this runoff. The winner will succeed Francis Suarez, the term-limited mayor who briefly sought the Republican presidential nomination two years ago, capturing national media attention.
