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democrat eileen higgins Is Safe an important Victory In miami The mayoral race ends his party’s nearly three-decade losing streak and provides a significant boost for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms. he conquered one republican candidate who received the support of the President donald trump,
Higgins, 61, is set to become the first woman to lead the city of Miami. Throughout his campaign in the Hispanic-majority city, he repeatedly addressed Trump’s immigration actions, highlighting the concerns of many Miami residents about family members being detained. Despite the race being officially non-partisan, she campaigned openly as a proud Democrat, ultimately defeating Trump-backed candidate Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager who has since called Higgins to congratulate her.
Higgins told after his victory speech The Associated Press: “We are faced with rhetoric from elected officials that is so inhumane and cruel, especially against the immigrant population. Miami residents were ready to do this.”
With almost all votes counted on Tuesday, Higgins led her Republican opponent by about 19 percentage points.
The local caste is not anticipating what might happen in next year’s elections. But it attracted the attention of the two major national political parties and their leaders. The victory gives Democrats some momentum heading into the high-stakes midterm elections, when the GOP looks to maintain its hold. FloridaThat includes the Hispanic-majority district of Miami-Dade County. The area has shifted sharply to the right politically in recent years, and the city may become home to Trump’s presidential library.
“Tonight’s result is another warning sign for Republicans that voters are fed up with their outdated agenda that is driving up costs,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement.
Some nationally recognized Democrats endorsed Higgins, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel traveled to Miami on Sunday and Monday to rally voters for the Democrat, who served as a Miami-Dade County commissioner for seven years.
Higgins, who speaks Spanish, represents a district that is conservative and includes the Cuban neighborhood of Little Havana. When he first entered politics in 2018, he chose to present himself to voters as “La Gringa”, a term Spanish-speaking white Americans use for white Americans, because many people did not know how to pronounce his name.
“It helps people understand who I am, and you know what? I’m a ‘gringa,’ so, what am I going to do, deny that?” he told the AP.
Republicans in Florida have received strong support from voters with Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan heritage, as they have compared some members of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing to politicians from the governments they fled. Trump and other GOP members have taken advantage of those sentiments over the past eight years.
However, some local Republicans are becoming more frustrated after the November elections when Democrats won in New Jersey and Virginia, where both winning gubernatorial candidates performed strongly with non-white voters.
The results of those races were considered a reflection of concerns over rising prices and the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies.
U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican whose district is being targeted by Democrats and includes the city of Miami, called the elections elsewhere a “wake-up call.” He said Hispanics also want a secure border and a healthy economy but “some relief for people who have been here for years and have no criminal record.”
“The Hispanic vote is not guaranteed,” Salazar said in a video posted on Twitter last month. “Hispanics Marry President Trump, But They’re Only Dating the GOP.”
David Jolly, who is running to represent Democrats in next year’s race for Florida governor, said the mayor’s election is good news for Democrats in what used to be a battleground state.
“The change is here. It’s becoming widespread across the country and also in Florida,” Jolly said.
The job of mayor in Miami is more formal, but Higgins promised to treat it like a full-time job.
The city is part of Miami-Dade County, which Trump carried last year, a dramatic improvement from his 30 percent loss to Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016.
As the second largest city in Florida, Miami is considered the gateway to Latin America and attracts millions of tourists. Its global prominence gives Higgins an important platform as mayor.
His appeal to voters included finding city-owned land that could be converted to affordable housing and cutting unnecessary spending.
Republicans’ concerns increase; Miami’s elected mayor gets national platform