Eileen Higgins has been voted in as Miami’s latest mayor, marking the first time a Democrat has claimed the position in three decades—this comes as Republicans in during President Donald Trump’s second term.

Higgins, set to be the city’s first female leader as well, won by almost 20 points over Trump-backed Emilio González, hinting at a for the 2026 midterm elections.

“Miami chose a new direction,” Higgins said during her victory speech. “You chose competence over chaos, results over excuses, and a city government that finally works for you.”

While Miami’s mayoral contests are officially nonpartisan, this year’s race was deeply tied to national party politics. González received backing from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, while Higgins got endorsements from ex-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Florida Representative Frederica Wilson—plus, Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona joined her at local polling places over the weekend.

Traditionally, the president’s party loses seats or influence in midterm elections. But Republicans are especially concerned about maintaining their slim hold on the House, where they now hold 220 out of 435 seats. A number of GOP members—like Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Elise Stefanik, Troy Nehls, and Jodey Arrington, to name a few—have said they won’t run for re-election.

Here’s key information about Higgins and the implications of her win for the Democratic Party and the nation. 

Who Is Eileen Higgins? 

Higgins has a background in public service; most recently, she’s been Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 5 since 2018. 

The 61-year-old is an engineer professionally—she earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of New Mexico, then an MBA from Cornell in the late 1980s, .

Subsequently, Higgins served as a Peace Corps director in Belize, then became a State Department foreign service officer from 2009 to 2012. Her roles included staff aide to the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, plus economic and energy officer for South Africa and Namibia. 

How Did Higgins Secure Her Win? 

Both Miami mayoral candidates have spoken about the race’s nonpartisan nature and stated it isn’t a “referendum” on the president, . 

Yet both parties invested heavily in the race, putting in substantial funds and organizing resources. In November, the Democratic National Committee—usually not involved in local mayoral contests— that it would host a virtual phone bank and enlist bilingual volunteers to back Higgins after Trump endorsed González. 

“Between now and Election Day, the DNC is all-in to elect Eileen Higgins and ensure Miami families have a champion who is fighting for them, not Donald Trump,” said DNC Chairman Ken Martin. 

During her , Higgins emphasized her work to build affordable housing units, expand public transit, and create green spaces for the city. She also pledged to invest millions in small businesses and “restore trust” in city hall after numerous officials were embroiled in corruption and potential internal power misuse scandals. She leaned on campaign manager Christian Ulvert, who helped Democrat Levine Cava win the 2020 county mayor race against a Republican, . 

Higgins also addressed Miami voters’ worries about the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown. She told the Times that residents of Miami—a majority-Hispanic city with immigrants from Cuba, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, to name a few—have shared concerns about enforcement impacting their families or tariffs hurting their businesses’ bottom lines. “There’s a level of fear, and I have never experienced that before,” Higgins said.

Trump pledged to launch the nation’s largest deportation campaign, vowing to target “the worst of the worst.” But an of recent ICE data reveals that over half of immigration arrests in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts were of immigrants without criminal records. 

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration to the parole status of over 530,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The action was challenged in court, but the U.S. Supreme Court later reversed a lower court order that would have stopped the Department of Homeland Security from ending parolees’ benefits.

What Does Higgins’ Win Mean for Democrats Nationwide? 

This victory is encouraging for Democrats, especially those who’ve struggled to win races in Florida—where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 1.4 million. 

“Tonight’s victory shows that the pendulum is swinging in our favor and that when we commit to relentless, year-round organizing and invest in a long-term strategic field program, we can, in fact, win,” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried in a statement. 

The President won Miami-Dade County by 11 points in the 2024 presidential election. His support in Miami proper is slimmer, with 49% of the vote last year. According to Miami-Dade Elections Department data, the city has over 61,000 registered Democrats versus 53,000 Republicans, plus 55,000 unaffiliated voters. 

Higgins’ 20-point win margin indicates a notable shift toward Democrats—even though the race is officially nonpartisan, this trend is visible nationwide. 

This year, Democrats notched a series of wins in New Jersey and Virginia’s gubernatorial races, along with smaller contests like the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Georgia’s public utility regulator—they outperformed in races where Trump won last year.

Miami’s mayoral history has mixed party affiliations. Former Mayor Manuel “Manny” Diaz ran as an independent but was a registered Democrat before and after his term; he later served as the party’s , holding office for two terms from 2001 to 2009.