Eileen Higgins Wins Miami Mayoral Runoff, First Democrat Since 1997

Overview

• The Associated Press called the race less than an hour after polls closed, with Higgins leading Emilio Gonzalez by about 18 points and taking nearly 60% of the vote.
• The officially nonpartisan contest drew national attention after President Donald Trump urged voters on Truth Social to support Gonzalez.
• Higgins becomes Miami’s first woman mayor and the first non-Hispanic leader since the 1990s.
• The result adds to recent Democratic wins and has prompted questions about Republican strength with Hispanic voters in Miami-Dade, which is roughly 70% Hispanic and gave Trump 55% in 2024.
• Turnout in the off-cycle runoff was roughly 20%.