Who is Eileen Higgins? Democrat elected Miami's first woman mayor

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FILE-Miami Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins speaks to supporters as she celebrates her victory at her election night party held at the Miami Women's Club on December 09, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Eileen Higgins made history Tuesday night, winning the Miami mayor’s race to become the first woman ever to lead the city and the first Democrat in almost 30 years to be elected as Miami mayor.

The 61-year-old defeated Republican Emilio Gonzalez, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Higgins is set to succeed term-limited Republican Mayor Francis Suarez, who was in the news two years ago as he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican presidential nomination, FOX News reported. 

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Higgins election win statement

What they're saying:

After winning Tuesday night’s election win, Eileen Higgins released a statement on Facebook writing, "Tonight, the people of Miami made history. Together, we turned the page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city — one defined by ethical, accountable leadership that delivers real results for the people. I am deeply honored by the trust voters have placed in me to serve as the next Mayor of Miami."

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"This victory belongs to every resident who knocked on doors, gathered petitions, made phone calls, and believed that integrity and hard work could triumph over politics as usual."

"Tonight, we celebrate not just a victory, but a new beginning for Miami — a city that belongs to all of us, and a future we will build together."

Who is Eileen Higgins?

The backstory:

Eileen Higgins was born in Daytona, Ohio and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University, The Palm Beach Post reported. 

Higgins worked as a consultant and later as country director of the Peace Corps in Belize, and a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State before returning to the U.S. to work in marketing.

In 2018, Higgins was elected to the Miami-Dade County Commission and worked in this role until this year, when she resigned to run for mayor of Miami.