she becomes the first female mayor of Miami and puts an end to almost 30 years of Republican hegemony

Higgins thus becomes the first woman and first non-Hispanic person to become Mayor of Miamiin addition to the first Democrat elected in almost 30 years to govern the municipality, historically dominated by Cuban-American Republicans, in a severe setback to President Donald Trump’s party.

The Democrat, a 61-year-old former county commissioner, defeated González, 68, who had received the endorsement of Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and achieved 40.5% of the vote.

“Tonight, the people of Miami made history. Together we leave years of chaos and corruption behind and open the door to a new stage for our city, one marked by ethical, responsible leadership focused on real results for our people,” Higging said in a statement after the preliminary results were known.

The race attracted national attention after the Republican attempt to extend to the city of Miami the electoral dominance that they consolidated in 2024, when Trump surprisingly won Miami-Dade County by more than 10 points against Kamala Harris.

A boost for Democrats

For Democrats, Higgins’ victory represents a symbolic and strategic impulse. The Democratic National Committee had concentrated efforts on her campaign, and Senator Rubén Gallego traveled to Miami over the weekend to endorse her, at a time when the party seeks to regain ground in Florida after years of setbacks.

The election, however, took place in a complex local context. Although the county Miami-Dade clearly moved towards the Republicans in 2024, some information indicates that in the city of Miami Harris He won by a slim margin, making this race a key thermometer for measuring the Democrats’ ability to reconnect with a changing electorate.

The city of Miami, with nearly half a million inhabitants, has a Hispanic population that is around 70%.

Higgins based his campaign on facing the increased cost of living, improve municipal services and reinforce the transparency of local government.

In contrast, González, a retired Air Force colonel and former director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), focused his message on public safety, economic growth and emergency preparedness, supported by his military and administrative experience.

Both candidates also reflected opposing views on migration. González defended the strict measures of the Trump Government, which in recent weeks imposed new restrictions to apply for citizenship to Cubans and Venezuelans. Higgins called those policies “immoral.”

The second round was called after neither reached more than 50% in the November 4 elections, when Higgins obtained 36% of the votes and González 19%.