Eileen Higgins Makes Historical past as Miami’s First Feminine Mayor: Who Is She?

Miami voters have elected Democrat Eileen Higgins as town’s first feminine mayor and the primary Democrat to carry the workplace in practically three a long time. In Tuesday’s runoff, Higgins, a former county commissioner, defeated Republican Emilio González, a former metropolis supervisor backed by former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

“Collectively, we turned the web page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a brand new period for our metropolis, one outlined by moral, accountable management that delivers actual outcomes for the individuals,” Higgins stated in a press release after the voivtory, promising to guide a authorities “that lastly earns the general public’s belief,” as cited by NYT. Though Miami’s elections are formally nonpartisan, each main events performed an lively position within the marketing campaign. US President Donald Trump endorsed González, whereas the Democratic Nationwide Committee backed Higgins. Within the days main as much as the vote, a number of outstanding nationwide Democrats traveled to Miami to marketing campaign alongside her, an uncommon present of help for a low-turnout, off-year native election. Higgins secured victory the victory after topping the primary spherical of voting on November 4, the place she obtained 35 per cent of the vote in comparison with González’s 19 per cent.Higgins will make historical past as Miami’s first feminine mayor and its first non-Hispanic mayor for the reason that Nineties, breaking a three-decade dominance of Cuban American Republicans in metropolis politics.Higgins, a skilled mechanical engineer and former Peace Corps director in Belize, beforehand represented what she described as a Republican-leaning district on the county fee. She additionally holds a Grasp of Enterprise Administration from Cornell College’s Johnson Graduate College of Administration.On the marketing campaign path, she pledged to concentrate on addressing residents’ on a regular basis issues if elected, as cited by Politico. Higgins had served as a widely known county commissioner for eight years, representing a district that included Miami’s downtown. Within the November 4 election, she additionally secured the highest spot throughout all 5 of town’s fee districts.She obtained a social media endorsement from former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, who’s a former mayor and was a 2020 presidential candidate.She additionally led in all 5 of town’s fee districts and can succeed outgoing Mayor Francis Suarez, who had briefly sought the Republican presidential nomination, as cited by the NYT. Miami, house to roughly half one million residents, is Florida’s second-largest metropolis after Jacksonville. Whereas town, just like the state, has trended Republican in latest election cycles, Higgins’ Democratic victory stands out as notably notable.