2025 Miami Mayoral Election

Mayoral Runoff Election

The 2025 Miami Mayoral Election, a contest that resulted in a runoff between County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, and City Commissioner/frm City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, saw Higgins lead in a contest dominated by anger at the municipal government and domination of a theme of reform and "change"

Facing off against fellow City Commissioner Ken Russell, Termed out city commissioner & former mayor Joe Carollo, Former Senate GOP Majority leader, and city commissioner Álex Díaz de la Portilla, and former Commissioner and Mayor Xavier Suarez — father of the incumbent mayor Francis Suarez —

The three dominant candidates were ones all promising major changes and reform in city hall, with all (including the mayor's father and past-apointee Gonzalez) in some way critizcising Francis Suarez either for absenteeism — focusing on trips, to the middle east — corruption, or simply not involving himself in issues where his involvement was neccessary

Also dominating the race were discussions on Immigration and the City's partnering with I.C.E. — Here, Higgins and Russell unequivocably critizcized the City's partnership while Gonzalez enphasized state law (taking no strong position on the issue) while Suarez enphasized protecting denizens from criminals while describing himself as pro-immigrant

In any case, due to consolidation of the Democratic and Republican votes along Higgins and Gonzalez respectivly (FL Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed Gonzalez before the election), both made it into the runoff.

The 2025 Miami Mayoral Election Runoff, in comparison to the General, was an increasingly nationalized contest that saw Eileen Higgins landslide Emilio Gonzalez in the First win for a Democrat in Miami in over 30 Years, and the largest win for a Democrat since the days of the first Latino mayor of Miami: Maurice Ferré (nephew of PNP Puerto Rico Governor Luis A Ferré)

Campainging as a proud Democrat, bringing frm Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Senator Rubén Gallego to campaign for her, and emphasizing affordable housing and cutting unnecessary spending, Higgins won due to the overwhelming blue tide of the nation in 2025

Here, she was aided by Gonzalez's campaign strategy, where he sought to enphasize his GOP ties in this Heavily Cuban, but Kamala won city — Campaigning with Senator Rick Scott, and brandishing his endorsement from President Donald J. Trump

This republican brandishing came despite Gonzalez having a strong resevoire of Goodwill as a good-government reformer in a city dominated by Corruption scandals in recent years; winning a lawsuit against Suarez and the city government that sought to postpone the election to 2026.

Mayoral General Election

However, Gonzalez didn't use those bona fides — and in this heavily nationalized contest in such an anti-GOP environment Gonzalez sealed not just his loss, but a landslide loss — with Eileen "La Gringa" Higgins winning by nearly 19% more than Kamala Harris won Miami by in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Mayoral General Election

Mayoral Runoff Election

Sources