Miami Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins credits broad outreach as the key to her victory
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Updated on: December 10, 2025 / 6:17 PM EST / CBS News
Miami’s incoming mayor, Eileen Higgins, says the cornerstone of her win—the first for a Democrat in nearly three decades—was reaching out to people across the political spectrum.
In a post-election interview, CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett asked Higgins about the so-called “Trump effect,” noting that President Trump had endorsed her Republican opponent and drew attention to the race.
“I’m not sure about that,” Higgins replied. “What I know is what I did. I worked. I knocked on doors and reached out to Republicans, independents, and Democrats across the city of Miami—because you cannot become the mayor if only Democrats vote for you. You won’t win if only Republicans vote for you. You have to win the support of all three groups.”
Higgins, the first woman to be elected as Miami’s mayor, captured 59% of the vote on Tuesday. She also highlighted her eight years serving on the county commission, where she represents a district with a Republican lean.
A former Miami-Dade County commissioner, Higgins defeated Republican Emilio González, a former city manager endorsed by both President Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in a runoff. The mayoral race is officially nonpartisan, yet it drew heightened attention amid national immigration policies and Trump’s endorsement of her opponent.
She stressed that party labels won’t define her approach as mayor.
“Miami residents know I am a loud, proud Democrat,” she said. “But once I’m elected, the election ends, and the work begins. We serve everyone. I won’t ask for anyone’s political affiliation. If a street is flooded or someone needs affordable housing, our job is to make it happen—regardless of party.”
The victory brought encouragement to Democrats nationwide, who saw gains in November elections. Garrett pressed Higgins on whether national politics might be shaping local outcomes too.
“It’s important to consider the local context,” she answered. “What happened here mirrors what voters decided in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York: they chose leaders they believe are best for their communities. That’s exactly what occurred in Miami.”
Higgins emphasized tackling pressing local issues such as immigration policy, housing affordability, flooding, and the city’s growth. Miami remains a diverse, immigrant-rich city, with a large portion of residents born outside the United States. She recounted stories from residents whose families have personal experiences with immigration enforcement.
“People will whisper to me—often scared,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘They took my brother. I don’t know what happened to my uncle.’ Sometimes it feels like Alligator Alcatraz—families don’t know where their relatives are. That’s not how America should feel.”
On border security, Higgins stated that the city wants to know who is coming and going to prevent criminals from entering the country. She criticized the current approach as inhumane and a threat to South Florida’s economic vitality.
During her campaign, Higgins highlighted her work on housing affordability. On the county commission, she examined county-owned properties to assess whether they could support housing and has already helped open thousands of affordable housing units for low-income seniors and working families. She believes this experience helped voters see her as capable of accelerating affordable housing.
“We started with 13 candidates,” Higgins noted. “I was the only candidate with a proven track record of building thousands of housing units. I know how to accelerate construction of housing people can actually afford.”
Watch the full interview on The Takeout, available on CBS News 24/7 and the CBS News app.
Topics: Miami, Elections, Florida
