Democrat Wins Miami Mayor’s Race, Delivering Public Rebuke to Trump After His Endorsement

MIAMI — A Democrat has won Miami’s mayoral race for the first time in nearly 30 years, delivering an unexpected setback to former President Donald Trump, who publicly endorsed her opponent.

Eileen Higgins, a former Miami-Dade County commissioner, defeated former city administrator Emilio Gonzalez in Tuesday’s runoff election. The race, though officially nonpartisan, was widely viewed as a proxy test of Trump’s influence in South Florida. Higgins secured about 59% of the vote, ending a Republican-backed winning streak that began in 1997.

Her victory also makes her the first woman ever elected mayor of Miami.

Trump had strongly backed Gonzalez in the final stretch of the race, promoting him at rallies and on social media. Political observers said the endorsement was intended to energize conservative voters in a city long seen as friendly territory for Republicans. Instead, Higgins’ decisive win is being read by analysts as a sign of shifting voting patterns and growing dissatisfaction among some residents with national political crosswinds.

Higgins entered the runoff as the frontrunner after leading a crowded 13-candidate field in the Nov. 4 first round. Her campaign focused on affordability, infrastructure and restoring public trust in city government.

In her election-night remarks, Higgins called for unity and pledged to focus on “practical solutions for every neighborhood,” citing housing pressures and rising costs across Miami.

Republican strategists insisted the loss reflected local turnout dynamics rather than a broader rejection of Trump. Still, the upset marks one of the most significant political shifts in Miami in decades — and a rare electoral setback in a region where Trump has maintained strong support.

Higgins will be sworn in later this month.