Miami Elects Democratic Mayor for the First Time in 28 Years
Following a tense race against 12 other candidates, mayor-elect Eileen Higgins will be taking up office in the Miami city hall. Her victory marks the first win for Democrats in the role in 28 years. She has been praised for her role as the first woman to govern over the city of Miami.
While the position is often viewed as symbolic, the mayor is responsible for and holds executive, budgetary, policy-implementing, crisis management, and economic powers. Higgins’ election into the position is a historical moment for the Democratic party in Miami and holds serious implications for the political landscape of Florida.
While the Miami mayoral position is typically noted to be non-partisan, her race against Trump-endorsed candidate Emilio González in the run-offs this past week caused members across party lines to rally behind their respective beliefs. Despite this, Higgins has sworn off any animosity caused by ideological differences.
“I lead with my Democratic values, but I serve everybody. I never asked you what political party you are, and I never asked you if you voted for me,” she stated in an interview with USA TODAY.
Elections results revealed Higgins won with 59% of votes, followed by a competitive 41% of votes towards candidate Emilio González. Higgins highlighted her commitment to broad outreach in her victory, particularly towards members of Hispanic communities.
Prior to her win in the run-off elections, Higgins served as the country commissioner for 7 years, representing district 5, which includes the Cuban enclave of Little Havana. Her campaign highlighted her role in uplifting small businesses and creating affordable homes.
Higgins’ priorities during her time as mayor include restoring trust in the city’s town hall, making the city more affordable, funding law enforcement to improve safety, improving transit systems and walkability, and countering environmental concerns.
“I do not know what impact Mayor Higgins will have on the city of Miami. My only hope is that it has a positive impact on the city,” said Law Club secretary, senior Lawrence Lorenzo.
Her campaign saw support from former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, as well as organizations such as Ruth’s List Florida, who focus on electing pro-choice women to influential positions, and LGBTQ+ groups such as Equality Florida and SAVE.
“I chose to participate because canvassing is always a rewarding experience, I get to hear from a variety of people. Eileen Higgins is wonderful and I was hopeful she would bring a needed shift to Miami politics,” said senior Hannah Vasquez, who canvassed with SAVE on behalf of the new mayor.
Democratic leaders in Miami and Florida overall have called the victory the start of a “blue wave” of Democratic victories, despite data suggesting that Florida Republicans have over 1.4 million more registered voters than Florida Democrats.
“This election will cause a lot of conflict between the two parties, making some think that she is gonna cause a lot of issues solely on their beliefs, while others will say she will improve current issues in Miami as a whole,” said Debate Club president, sophomore Michael Caceras.
There’s no telling what effects the election will have on our nation overall, but as Eileen Higgins prepares to take office, there’s no doubt that countless eyes are on her. This election is yet another reminder of the power each vote holds.
