Republicans Taking Note After Miami Mayor’s Office Flips Blue For First Time In Decades

Republicans looking for hints on how midterms might go need look no further than Miami, Florida – where Democrat Eileen Higgins won the mayor’s race, becoming the first woman to lead the city – and the first Democrat to take the helm in nearly 30 years. 

The 61-year-old campaigned on opposition to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, saying many in Miami have voiced concerns over family members being detained. 

Higgins beat Trump-backed former city manager Emilio Gonzales by roughly 19%. That said, there are a few caveats:

– The race was supposed to be nonpartisan, meaning voters didn’t see party labels when they cast their ballot.

– It’s an off-year election, and the first Miami mayoral runoff since 2001.

– It’s the first time the mayor’s race has ever been decided in December, while people are preparing for the holidays. 

Yet, since Republicans have held the seat for so long, and because Higgins won by nearly 20 points, Democrats get to add Miami to their list of wins in 2025. 

“We are facing rhetoric from elected officials that is so dehumanizing and cruel, especially against immigrant populations,” Higgins told AP following her victory speech. “The residents of Miami were ready to be done with that.”

RESULT: D+19 pic.twitter.com/etROjOCyqZ

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 10, 2025

While the Miami race might be an outlier when it comes to predicting midterms, the victory gives Democrats some momentum heading into midterm elections, where the GOP is looking to keep Florida red – including a Hispanic-majority district in Miami-Dade county that has been shifting increasingly conservative in recent years. 

“Tonight’s result is yet another warning sign to Republicans that voters are fed up with their out-of-touch agenda that is raising costs,” said DNC chair Ken Martin following Higgins’ win. 

Conservative activist Scott Pressler sounded the alarm, writing on X: “Republicans are completely squandering all of the work we did to win the 2024 elections.”

Yep. Leave it to the GOP to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) December 10, 2025

As Politico notes, Higgins’ campaign is likely to be carefully studied by other Democratic hopefuls in Florida – after she ran “not on social justice or culture war issues, but on improving affordability and making government work better. She agreed with Republicans that the city’s finances needed a careful look.” 

Republicans will certainly face questions after Tuesday’s result – including whether they’re losing ground with Latinos, and whether it will continue to be effective to call Democrats “socialists” at every turn given that it didn’t work whatsoever with Higgins. 

“Donald Trump got involved in this election. Ron DeSantis got involved in this election. Every statewide elected Republican got involved in this election,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried. “They knew this was an important race, and them blowing it off today is why we’re going to be able to win some really big races next year — because they think they just have Florida in the bag.”