Miami voters on Tuesday elected Democrat Eileen Higgins as mayor, ending a nearly three-decade dry spell for her party after she defeated a Republican endorsed by Donald Trump in the predominantly Hispanic city.
While the election was officially nonpartisan, the race took on national significance, pitting Higgins against Republican Emilio Gonzalez, a former Miami city manager, in a contest closely watched by both parties.
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The win comes in the wake of recent electoral success achieved by the Democratic Party ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
Here is what we know:
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What were the final results of the Miami election?
Higgins led Republican Gonzalez 59 percent to 41 percent on Tuesday night, according to preliminary results from the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Office. She is the first woman ever elected as mayor in the city.
She won Tuesday’s run-off after leading the first round of voting on November 4 with 35 percent of the vote to Gonzalez’s 19 percent.
“Tonight, the people of Miami made history,” Higgins said in a statement. “Together, we turned the page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city.”
Higgins’ victory adds to a run of recent Democratic wins, including races in New Jersey and Virginia, as the party looks towards the 2026 midterms. That trend continued with strong results in November’s off-year elections and a solid showing in this month’s special House race in Tennessee.
While Miami’s mayor wields limited formal power, the role is highly symbolic, representing a city with a large Latino population at the centre of national immigration debates.
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Home to roughly half a million residents, Miami is Florida’s second-most populous city after Jacksonville. In recent election cycles, it has shifted towards Republicans, making a Democratic win stand out even more. Trump had won Miami-Dade County in the 2024 presidential election against her Democratic rival Kamala Harris.
Hispanic or Latino residents make up roughly 70 percent of Miami’s population. In Miami-Dade County overall, about 69–70 percent of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino – a demographic majority that significantly shapes the region’s cultural and political identity.
In Miami, she often talked about Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, saying she heard from residents who were worried about family members being detained. She described the election as a referendum on the president’s policies, which have caused concerns about due process.
More than 200,000 people have been arrested since Trump launched the crackdown on migrants in January. At least 75,000 people, who were arrested as part of Trump’s fight against gang members and criminals, had no criminal records, according to new data. He has deported hundreds of migrants and halted asylum and green card applications.
The Trump administration had also ordered the arrest of several students who participated in protests against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. Several of them have since been released by the courts.
The difference between the candidates was clear during a debate last month. Higgins called immigration enforcement in Miami “cruel and inhumane” and criticised the detention centre opened by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, commonly known as “Alligator Alcatraz”.
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In that same debate, her opponent, Gonzalez, said he supported federal law enforcement rounding up “people who commit crimes”.
“I support putting down migrant criminals, I cannot in good conscience fight with the federal government and defend a rapist or a murderer,” Gonzalez added.
This combination of images shows candidates for mayor of Miami, from left, Republican Emilio Gonzalez and Democrat Eileen Higgins [AP]
Higgins repeated her message in an interview with El Pais this week, drawing a sharp contrast with Trump’s approach.
“He and I have very different points of view on how we should treat our residents, many of whom are immigrants,” she said.
“That is the strength of this community. We are an immigrant-based place. That’s our uniqueness. That’s what makes us special.”
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Affordability was also a major issue in the race. Higgins focused her campaign on local concerns such as housing costs, while Gonzalez campaigned on repealing Miami’s homestead property tax and streamlining business permits.
“My opponent is keen on building, building, building,” Gonzalez told CNN. “She wants to put a skyscraper in every corner … then calling it affordable housing, which is a misnomer, because very rarely is it truly affordable.”
During a speech in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Trump raised the issue of affordability, which Democrats have highlighted. He blamed high prices on his predecessor, Joe Biden.
The cost of living has been on the election campaign agenda in recent gubernatorial and mayoral elections in which Democrats have made gains, including the much-publicised New York mayoral election. The Democratic wins show that the issue has resonated with voters.
🚨Miami polls are now OPEN!🚨
Time to VOTE and bring a new era of good governance, true affordability, and putting families first over special interests.
— Emilio T. Gonzalez for Mayor of Miami (@Emilioformiami) December 9, 2025
Who is Eileen Higgins?
Higgins is Miami’s first non-Hispanic mayor in nearly three decades. Born in Ohio and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, she earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico and later completed an MBA at Cornell University.
Before becoming mayor, Higgins represented a politically conservative district that includes Little Havana, the city’s well-known Cuban enclave.
She has embraced the nickname “La Gringa,” a term commonly used in Spanish to refer to white Americans.
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Her professional background spans international development and consulting, with a focus on infrastructure and transportation projects across Latin America. She later served as Peace Corps country director in Belize and went on to work as a foreign service officer for the United States Department of State, where her portfolio included diplomatic and economic development efforts in countries such as Mexico and South Africa.
After her government service, Higgins returned to the private sector before eventually entering local politics in Miami.
With her runoff victory tonight, Eileen Higgins will be Miami’s next mayor—the first woman in the city’s history and the first Democrat in nearly 30 years elected to the office.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a first look at Luna, new cruise ship setting sail from PortMiami – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
MIAMI (WSVN) – There’s a new cruise ship in town, and it is almost ready to set sail.
Luna, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, welcomed people aboard for the very first time on Tuesday.
Luna is the 21st ship in the company’s fleet. From April to October, she’ll set sail from PortMiami to the Caribbean, with room for over 3,000 guests.
“We do a seven-day Caribbean cruise, it’s out of Miami, and then we do have Dominican Republic,” said Cruise Director Alvin Oliva. “After that, we visit St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Island, and then Tortola, and then we spend days at sea, and of course the prime, a lot of people are looking forward to visiting Great Stirrup Cay, which is Norwegian’s very own private island,”
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On this voyage, there is plenty to do for the whole family — fom obstacle courses and games for the children, to a luxurious two-story spa.
“There is a bi-level waterfall right there; we offer a lot of different kinds of relaxation,” said Oliva.
At the Mandara Spa, guests can get hot stone and deep tissue massages, facials, body wraps and then lounge at the thermal suite, complete with relaxing steam rooms, saunas and heated loungers.
Once you’re done relaxing, guests can enjoy a drink at the poolside bar.
For those who are feeing adventurous, one of the highlights of the ship is its Aqua Slidecoaster. It’s a water slide/roller coaster hybrid, and Norweigan said it’s the fastest and longest water slide at sea.
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“It was the best thing of my life, the best part of my day. It was amazing, 10 out of 10, I recommend,” said Ely, who rode the coaster.
People have traveled from all over to Miami to get on the new ship.
“We love it. I’s so clean, it’s so chic, our room looks amazing,” said Christina Guttuso.
“We’re excited, we’re ready to go,” said Nick Mangiaracina.
It’s a busy spring break, but well worth it for these cruisers.
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“Go cruising. Even if you’re from Minnesota like me, it’s worthwhile,” said Justin Sunbrig.
The Luna’s maiden seven-day voyage is scheduled to set sail out of PortMiami on April 4.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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A longtime Miami-Dade physical education teacher is working to rebuild his life after a fire destroyed the only home he has known for decades.
Edward Brown Jr., who spent 35 years teaching physical education and mentoring students, lost his home to a fire last week. Flames tore through the house, leaving it uninhabitable and forcing Brown to move in with his adult son.
“It’s hard not to think about it,” Brown said. “Even if I’m not there, I think about what was burned. But I know that’s material stuff. It can be replaced.”
Rebuilding, however, will not be easy. Brown said he does not have homeowners’ insurance to help cover the costs. He paid off the home last year and decided not to renew his insurance policy because of rising costs on a fixed income.
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“Just like in life, it’s a chance you take,” Brown said. “I knew before I made the final decision. I didn’t do it in haste.”
Now, the financial burden of rebuilding falls largely on Brown and the community he has supported for years. Known by neighbors as someone who was always willing to help, Brown has received an outpouring of support in the days following the fire. Friends, former colleagues, and community members have dropped off care packages and shared words of encouragement.
An online fundraiser has also been launched by Brown’s family and friends to help cover rebuilding expenses. When told about the effort, Brown became emotional, pausing before expressing his gratitude. He said the support he has received has helped him stay focused on moving forward.
Brown acknowledged the road ahead will be challenging but said he remains hopeful. “I think about it,” he said. “But I need some help. I can tell you that.”
Those hoping to support Brown’s recovery can find information about the fundraiser through family and community organizers.
24-year-old Italian tennis superstar Jannik Sinner is set to face 28-year-old United States tennis star Frances Tiafoe (who is the No. 20-ranked player in the world right now, according to the ATP) in the Quarterfinal of the 2026 Miami Open on Thursday.
The stakes are high for both men. While Tiafoe finding a way to defeat Sinner (who is the No. 2-ranked player, only behind Carlos Alcaraz) would likely make for the biggest victory of his career to this point, both men will still have to win two more games before being crowned the Miami Open champion. The winner of this match will face the winner of Alexander Zverev and Francisco Cerundolo, who also face off on March 26.
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Jannik Sinner (ITA) | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Both Sinner and Tiafoe have influencer girlfriends. Tiafoe has been dating Canadian former professional tennis player turned social media influencer Ayan Broomfield, who follows him to his various tennis tournaments and is always a vocal supporter in the stands.
Sinner has been dating Danish model and influencer Laila Hasanovic since at least the summer of 2025, although there’s no official indication of when their relationship began. What’s for sure is that Sinner and Hasanovic brought their dog, Snoopy, to the ATP Tennis Finals in Turin, Italy, last November, which made for several wholesome photos of the trio.
While Hasanovic was present at that tournament last year, she hasn’t been at the Indian Wells Open in California earlier this month, nor the Miami Open.
The reason for this is surely because these events are across the Atlantic Ocean, and Hasanovic has pressing matters to attend to in her own life.
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Laila Hasanovic | IMAGO / ABACAPRESS
Laila Hasanovic Turns Heads in Workout Fit Post During Jannik Sinner’s Miami Open Run
One example of what Hasanovic has going on is her NRD55 brand, which is a line of skin care and self-tanning products that she has created.
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Hasanovic typically relies on herself to promote her new company. An example of this came on March 26, when the @nrd.55 account posted several photos of Hasanovic posing with a new product. She can be seen wearing a black sports bro and applying the product in several different places on her body.
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Hasanovic posted this to her Instagram story on Thursday morning, showing that she’s behind the beauty product.
While she might not be there in person, one would imagine that Hasanovic will be watching her boyfriend compete against Tiafoe on TV.
