Democrats Break 30-Year Drought in Miami as Trump-Endorsed Candidate Defeated

It took nearly 30 years, but Democrats finally broke their decades-long ballot box losing streak in Miami, Florida, the city known as the nation’s “Gateway to Latin America.”

Democrat Eileen Higgins, a former county commissioner, defeated Republican Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager, in Tuesday’s Miami mayoral runoff election. The victory marks a historic moment for the city, as Higgins becomes the first woman ever elected to serve as Miami’s mayor.

While officially nonpartisan, the race evolved into a high-profile partisan showdown that attracted national attention and significant resources from both parties. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Gonzalez, who had served on Trump’s Homeland Security Department transition team, and urged his supporters on social media to back the Republican candidate, calling it “a big and important race.”

The Republican Party of Florida invested heavily in Gonzalez’s campaign, but Democrats, energized by decisive victories in November’s elections and a strong showing in a recent Tennessee congressional special election, mobilized substantial resources to capture the Miami mayoralty.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin highlighted the victory’s significance in a statement Tuesday night: “Tonight’s result is yet another warning sign to Republicans that voters are fed up with their out-of-touch agenda that is raising costs for working families across the country.”

The election results represent a notable shift in a state that has moved dramatically rightward in recent years. Florida, once considered the largest presidential battleground state, has become reliably Republican territory. Governor Ron DeSantis won re-election by nearly 20 points in 2022, and Trump carried the state by 13 points in last year’s presidential election.

Yet Miami remains a Democratic stronghold amid Florida’s increasingly red political landscape. Trump narrowly lost the city in the 2024 presidential election, though he won the broader Miami-Dade County by 11 points. Higgins’ victory suggests potential vulnerability in Republicans’ recent gains among Hispanic and Latino voters, who make up a significant portion of Miami’s population.

The runoff became necessary after the November 4 election, in which Higgins captured 36% of the vote and González finished second with 19% in a multi-candidate field. Since no candidate topped 50%, the two advanced to Tuesday’s decisive contest.

Throughout her campaign, Higgins, who brings a diverse background as a mechanical engineer and former Peace Corps director in Belize, focused on affordability issues and improving local government efficiency. Her message resonated with voters concerned about rising living costs in one of America’s most expensive urban centers.

González, a veteran and senior advisor at an asset management firm, campaigned on fighting overdevelopment and called for the elimination of property taxes for primary residences. Despite backing from prominent Republican figures and organizations, his platform failed to secure majority support.

The mayoral position Higgins will assume has drawn increased national attention in recent years. She succeeds term-limited Republican Mayor Francis Suarez, who briefly sought the GOP presidential nomination in 2024 and worked to position Miami as a technology and cryptocurrency hub during his tenure.

For Democrats, the victory provides momentum heading into 2026’s midterm elections and suggests potential vulnerabilities in the Republican coalition that dominated Florida’s political landscape in recent election cycles. The result may prompt both parties to reassess their strategies for engaging urban voters, particularly in diverse communities with large Hispanic populations.

As Miami faces challenges including affordable housing shortages, climate change concerns, and economic development pressures, Higgins’ administration will test whether Democratic governance can deliver effective solutions in a city that remains politically distinct from its increasingly conservative state.