Eileen Higgins Makes History: Eileen Higgins is projected to become Miami’s next mayor, according to CNN’s Decision Desk — a result that ends nearly three decades of Republican control of the city’s officially nonpartisan office and offers Democrats another signal of growing electoral strength during President Donald Trump’s second term.
The former county commissioner is set to defeat city manager Emilio Gonzalez, a Trump-backed candidate. Higgins advanced to Tuesday’s runoff after leading the November 4 first-round vote with 35%, far ahead of Gonzalez’s 19%.
Her win comes as Democrats are already celebrating a run of strong performances, including sweeping victories in November’s off-year contests and narrowing what had been a 22-point GOP margin in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District during last week’s special election.
Although the Miami mayor has limited formal authority, the position carries considerable visibility. The city’s large Latino population and its central role in national immigration debates have kept the mayoral seat in the spotlight, particularly amid Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ aggressive policies on detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants.
After delivering her victory speech, Higgins told the Associated Press that Miami voters were ready for a change. “The rhetoric we’ve been hearing from some elected leaders has become dehumanizing and cruel, especially toward immigrant communities,” she said. “People here wanted to move past that.”
Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried applauded Higgins’ win, noting in a statement that she will become the first woman to lead Miami in the city’s 129-year history. “I couldn’t think of a better person to break that barrier,” Fried said.
A Campaign Defined by Affordability and Immigration
Housing affordability dominated the race, resonating strongly in one of the nation’s costliest cities. Higgins aligned her platform with national Democratic priorities by pushing for more affordable housing construction. Gonzalez, in contrast, embraced a DeSantis-backed proposal to eliminate property taxes on primary homes.
Gonzalez criticized Higgins’ development plans, arguing they would allow excessive high-rise construction. “She wants skyscrapers on every corner and calls it affordable housing,” he told CNN. “Most of the time, it isn’t truly affordable.”
Immigration policy was another major flashpoint. Miami hosts the Krome detention center, long criticized for overcrowding and poor conditions. In a recent debate, Gonzalez said he supported federal agents detaining individuals who commit crimes. Higgins denounced ICE’s actions in the city as “cruel” and condemned the DeSantis-created detention site known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
Higgins said fear has become pervasive in Miami’s immigrant communities. “Every time I’m out in neighborhoods, I meet someone whose relative has been taken to Alligator Alcatraz or vanished into the system. Families sometimes don’t even know where their loved ones are,” she told CNN.
A New Mayor Amid a Trump Library Dispute
Higgins steps into office as a legal fight unfolds over the proposed location of Trump’s presidential library. Miami-Dade College recently voted — for the second time — to transfer a prime piece of downtown land to the foundation backing the library. An activist’s lawsuit accusing the college of violating Florida’s open-government laws prompted a temporary court halt to the deal, with a trial scheduled for August.
Her win adds to Democratic momentum as the party heads into 2026 and the midterm cycle. Miami-Dade County, once a Democratic stronghold, shifted right in 2024 when Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the county since 1988 — a trend previously hinted at by DeSantis’ strong 2022 performance there.
Importantly, Higgins will not be the region’s only mayor. Miami-Dade County has its own mayor, currently Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat serving in a technically nonpartisan role. Levine Cava oversees the broader county, while Higgins will focus on the city itself.
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