Democrat Eileen Higgins Elected as Inaugural Democrat Mayor of Miami in Nearly 30 Years.

Democrat Eileen Higgins has secured victory in the race for Miami mayor in the state of Florida, marking the historic occasion a Democrat has achieved this in three decades.

A former county commissioner, Higgins prevailed in the runoff by securing fifty-nine percent of the votes, beating her Republican opponent Emilio Gonzalez, who was supported by former President Trump and received around 41% of the vote, according to election data.

"The city selected a fresh course... you chose competence over chaos," Higgins said during her victory speech.

Higgins' win extends a series of latest wins for the Democratic Party.

A Landmark Victory on Multiple Fronts

With her win, Higgins, 61 years old, also is now the first woman to be elected to the post, as noted by media outlets.

Higgins said her victory "heralds the commencement of the task before us" and pledged to tackle the problems Miami still faces.

"I will govern a city that belongs to everyone," she added.

Election Platform and Difference with the President

Running on key topics including immigration and housing affordability, she sought to contrast her governing approach against that of Trump.

In a recent discussion, Higgins said: "We have very different perspectives on how we should treat our residents, a large portion of whom are immigrants."

During the Miami mayoral debate, she described the administration's immigration policies "cruel and inhumane."

She pledged to collaborate with the current administration on topics where they can reach agreement, but "in cases of disagreement, I'll make my voice heard," she commented.

Endorsements and the Winning Campaign

Despite the race being officially not party-affiliated, Higgins earned the endorsement of several notable Democratic figures, including one-time secretary Pete Buttigieg.

In addition to the President's support, Gonzalez was also backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Higgins now takes over from former mayor Francis Suarez, who briefly ran for the GOP presidential nomination.

Following a Broader Trend

In the run-up to Higgins' success, the Democratic Party notched major victories in the first major elections of the President's new term in recent weeks.

• In NYC, Zohran Mamdani beat independent Andrew Cuomo.
• Abigail Spanberger won the gubernatorial election in the state of Virginia, turning the seat from GOP control.
• Another Democrat was elected governor in New Jersey.