Democrat wins Miami mayor's race for the first time in almost 30 years

Democrat Eileen Higgins has won the Miami mayor’s race, NBC News projects, giving the party control of the office for the first time in almost three decades in another victory for Democrats ahead of next year’s pivotal midterm elections.

Higgins, a former Miami-Dade County commissioner, won 59% of the vote to 41% for Republican Emilio González, a businessman and former city manager who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. González conceded Tuesday night, his campaign confirmed.

"Tonight, the people of Miami made history. Together, we turned the page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city — one defined by ethical, accountable leadership that delivers real results for the people," Higgins said in a statement Tuesday night.

While the Miami mayor’s race is technically nonpartisan, the Republican-affiliated candidate has won every election since 2008, and an independent candidate won before then, locking Democrats out of the office since their last win in 1997. But while Miami-Dade has moved dramatically toward Republicans in the last few elections, Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly carried the city itself last year.

Both candidates centered their campaigns on breaking from the previous mayoral administrations in Miami and addressing voters’ economic concerns while pitching different solutions, but the race became nationalized in the final weeks. And it hinged on familiar themes that will play a big role in deciding the 2026 elections: affordability, Trump’s weakened political standing and how his controversial deportation agenda is playing in a city with a significant Hispanic population.

Higgins leaned on her role on the county commission to frame herself as focused on quality-of-life issues like affordable housing, infrastructure and streamlining city processes in a way she said would help save the city, and residents, money.

“There are many approaches to affordability that local governments have in their own hands even though we aren’t in control of tariffs — which by the way is creating a huge affordability crisis,” she told NBC News the day before the election, in a reference to Trump’s broad tariff policy.

She was also deeply critical of Trump — and González by proxy, given Trump’s endorsement — over his deportation agenda, telling NBC News that Hispanic and Haitian voters have been telling her they are “afraid of their government.”

Despite Higgins’ messaging, González didn’t run as a Trump acolyte. Instead, he argued he was the candidate focused on local issues like fighting overdevelopment, and he aligned himself with GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to end homestead property taxes to ease the cost of living. González deflected criticism of Trump’s immigration policies by arguing that’s a national issue over which he has no say.

In an interview Tuesday night with WPLG-TV in Miami, González said he called Higgins to wish her well, adding that she ran a "wonderful campaign."

"If she's successful, Miami is successful," he said.

The race drew increased national attention in the final weeks, particularly after Democrats made gains but still lost in a Tennessee special election in a vacant congressional district this month. The Democratic National Committee took an active interest in the mayor’s race, sending organizational support to boost Higgins, and prominent Democrats with potential aspirations for higher office — Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — sent their support, too.

Republicans zeroed in on the race, as well, hoping to hold the seat and push back against a string of GOP candidates underperforming their 2024 marks in special House elections, the recent governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia and other downballot races.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com