Miami swears in Eileen Higgins as first female mayor, ending 30-year GOP control

Democrat Eileen Higgins was sworn in Thursday as Miami's first female mayor, two weeks after defeating a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump. Higgins also becomes the first Democrat in nearly 30 years to lead the city of roughly 487,000 residents, replacing Republican Francis Suarez, who has served as mayor since 2017.

The oath took place at Miami Dade College in downtown Miami, where Higgins' parents joined her on stage. She thanked them for raising her with values and said, "Get up everyday, work hard and do what’s right." Higgins also thanked Suarez for his service, noting that he "elevated the city's profile worldwide."

Higgins has a varied background. She trained as a mechanical engineer before shifting to public service. After joining the Peace Corps and serving as a diplomat, she returned to Miami and later won election to the Miami-Dade County Commission, representing much of the city.

Her election followed a Trump endorsement of Emilio Gonzalez during the campaign. Trump touted Gonzalez’s 2024 win in Miami-Dade County as evidence of his appeal among Hispanic voters. Higgins won by roughly 19 percentage points.

During her remarks, Higgins emphasized affordable housing and said her job now is to deliver on residents' choices. Speaking in English and Spanish, she said, "A city defined not by what we say but by what we do."

Miami's demographics give context to the race: census figures show more than 55% of the population is foreign-born, with about 45% tracing to Cuba.

Suarez, who led the city since 2017, presided over a period of global attention for Miami; Higgins said she would work to sustain the city’s growing profile while addressing local needs.