Published on: Dec 10, 2025 08:58 am IST
Eileen Higgins won Miami’s mayoral runoff with 59%, ending 28 years of GOP control and succeeding Mayor Francis Suarez in a historic Democratic shift.
On December 9, 2025, Eileen Higgins defeated Republican candidate Emilio Gonzalez in a runoff with almost 59% of the vote, marking a historic victory for Democratic Party in the city of Miami – in the GOP Hartland Florida. The Republican Party had held the Mayoral office at Miami for the last 28 years. Now, Higgins will succeed outgoing mayor Francis Suarez.
Miami Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins greets supporters as she celebrates her victory at her election night party held at the Miami Women’s Club (Photo by JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP) Who is Eileen Higgins?
Eileen Higgins,60, was born in Ohio and later raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico and an MBA from Cornell University.
Higgins had a varied professional background before entering politics.
She worked in international development and consulting, specializing in infrastructure and transportation in Latin America. She also held the position of Country Director for the Peace Corps in Belize.
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After that, she served as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. Her work reportedly focused on diplomatic and economic-development relations with countries including Mexico and South Africa.
She eventually returned to the private sector in marketing and business roles before eventually entering local politics in Miami.
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In 2018, Higgins became involved in politics after winning a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission from District 5, which encompasses Brickell, Downtown Miami, Little Havana, and other major neighborhoods. In 2022 and 2024, she was re-elected.
She stepped down in November 2025 to focus on her mayoral campaign per Florida’s “resign to run” law.
Eileen Higgins’ Agenda For Miami
Higgins ran for the Mayor of Florida around three key issues.
Affordable housing and small-business support: According to Biscayne Times, she helped secure funding and push for the development of nearly 7,000 workforce and affordable housing units. She rolled out the grant and support programs for small businesses.Transit and Infrastructure: She advocated for transit expansion, better city mobility and environmental sustainability and tree-planting initiatives as pollution-reducing measures.Government efficiency and transparency: She campaigned to streamline permitting processes, which she believes could unlock housing and business growth by cutting red tape.
As per Biscayne Times, her track record of mixing policy pragmatism with grassroots community activism made her a front-runner in the competitive 2025 mayoral contest.
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