The Daily Populous Wednesday December 10th, 2025 day edition
Authored by apnews.com and submitted by JoyfulJoy94

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MIAMI (AP) — Democrat Eileen Higgins won the Miami mayor’s race on Tuesday, defeating a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump to end her party’s nearly three-decade losing streak and give Democrats a boost in one of the last electoral battles ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Higgins, 61, will be the first woman to lead the city of Miami. She spoke frequently in the Hispanic-majority city about Trump’s immigration crackdown, saying she has heard of many people in Miami who were worried about family members being detained. She campaigned as a proud Democrat despite the race being officially nonpartisan and beat Trump-backed candidate Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager, who said he called Higgins to congratulate her.

“We are facing rhetoric from elected officials that is so dehumanizing and cruel, especially against immigrant populations,” Higgins told The Associated Press after her victory speech. “The residents of Miami were ready to be done with that.”

With nearly all votes counted Tuesday, Higgins led the Republican by about 19 percentage points.

The local race is not predictive of what may happen at the polls next year. But it drew attention from the two major national political parties and their leaders. The victory provides Democrats with some momentum heading into a high-stakes midterm election when the GOP is looking to keep its grip in Florida, including in a Hispanic-majority district in Miami-Dade County. The area has shifted increasingly rightward politically in recent years, and the city may become the home of Trump’s presidential library.

Miami mayor-elect Eileen Higgins celebrates at a watch party after winning the Miami mayoral runoff election, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Miami mayor-elect Eileen Higgins celebrates at a watch party after winning the Miami mayoral runoff election, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook

“Tonight’s result is yet another warning sign to Republicans that voters are fed up with their out-of-touch agenda that is raising costs,” said Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, in a statement.

Some nationally recognized Democrats supported Higgins, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel traveled to Miami on Sunday and Monday to rally voters for the Democrat who served as a Miami-Dade county commissioner for seven years.

Miami mayor-elect Eileen Higgins speaks at a watch party after winning the Miami mayoral runoff election, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Miami mayor-elect Eileen Higgins speaks at a watch party after winning the Miami mayoral runoff election, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook

Higgins, who speaks Spanish, represented a district that leans conservative and includes the Cuban neighborhood of Little Havana. When she first entered politics in 2018, she chose to present herself to voters as “La Gringa,” a term Spanish speakers use for white Americans, because many people did not known how to pronounce her name.

“It just helps people understand who I am, and you know what? I am a ‘gringa,’ so, what am I going to do, deny it?” she told the AP.

Republicans in Florida have found strong support from voters with heritage from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, because they likened some members of the Democratic party’s progressive wing with politicians from the governments they fled. Trump and other GOP members have tapped into those sentiments over the past eight years.

However, some local Republicans are growing increasingly frustrated since November’s elections when Democrats scored wins in New Jersey and Virginia, where both winning gubernatorial candidates performed strongly with nonwhite voters.

The results from those races were perceived as a reflection of concerns over rising prices and the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies.

Miami mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager backed by President Donald Trump, speaks on the phone with Democrat Eileen Higgins, as he calls to concede in Miami’s mayoral runoff, outside a watch party at a restaurant in downtown Miami, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Miami mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager backed by President Donald Trump, speaks on the phone with Democrat Eileen Higgins, as he calls to concede in Miami’s mayoral runoff, outside a watch party at a restaurant in downtown Miami, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook

U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican whose district is being targeted by Democrats and includes the city of Miami, called the elections elsewhere a “wake-up call.” She said Hispanics also want a secure border and a healthy economy but some relief for “those who have been here for years and do not have a criminal record.”

“The Hispanic vote is not guaranteed,” Salazar said in a video posted on X last month. “Hispanics married President Trump, but they are only dating the GOP.”

David Jolly, who is running to represent Democrats in the Florida governor’s race next year, said the mayoral election was good news for Democrats in what used to be a battleground state.

“Change is here. It’s sweeping the nation, and it’s sweeping Florida,” Jolly said.

The mayoral position in Miami is more ceremonial, but Higgins promised to execute it like a full-time job.

The city is part of Miami-Dade County, which Trump flipped last year, a dramatic improvement from his 30 percentage point loss to Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016.

As Florida’s second-largest city, Miami is considered the gateway to Latin America and attracts millions of tourists. Its global prominence gives Higgins a significant stage as mayor.

Her pitch to voters included finding city-owned land that could be turned into affordable housing and cutting unnecessary spending.

brain_overclocked on December 10th, 2025 at 01:19 UTC »

Jan 28 - Democrat wins Iowa Senate seat in district Trump won by 21 points

Jan 29 - Democrats win control of Minnesota Senate

Feb 16 - Democrats win Delaware Senate seats in Saturday's special elections

Mar 11 - Democrat David Gottfried easily wins Minnesota House special election, restoring a 67-67 power split

Mar 26 - Democrats take hope from upset win in a GOP-leaning Pennsylvania state Senate district

Apr 1

Liberal Wins Wisconsin Court Race, Despite Musk’s Millions

Republicans win — but underperform — in both Florida special elections

Apr 30 - Democrats Win Landslide in Safe Iowa Seat, Claim 'Rebuke of Trump'

May 7 - Republican concedes in North Carolina court race, ending bid to throw out votes

May 13 - Democrat ousts incumbent Republican in Omaha mayoral race

May 20 - Democrats win New York state Senate race in Trump-friendly district

Jun 3 - Young Dem Clinches Landslide Election Win in Lindsey Graham’s Backyard

Jun 7 - Democrats fend off GOP in San Antonio mayor runoff election

Jun 14 - Democrat, CN citizen Amanda Clinton wins decisive victory in special state election

Jun 25 - NH House special election: Democrat Billie Butler wins after facing GOP attacks

Aug 26 - Democrats break GOP supermajority in Iowa Senate by flipping Republican seat in special election

Sep 3 - Democrats Overperform in Florida as They Cruise to Victory in Two Elections

Sep 9 - Democrat James Walkinshaw wins US House special election in Virginia

Sep 16 - Democrat wins Minnesota special election to replace slain lawmaker

Sep 23 - G.O.P. Majority in House Will Shrink After Democrat’s Victory in Arizona

Oct 8 - Republican Ousted By Democrat in Shock Election Defeat

Oct 11 - Democrat Helena Moreno wins New Orleans’ mayoral race

Nov 4:

Virginia elects Democrat Abigail Spanberger as state’s first woman governor

Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi wins Virginia lieutenant governor’s race

Democrat Jay Jones wins Virginia attorney general's race despite text message scandal, CBS News projects

Democrats sweep all 30 House of Delegates seats in Northern Virginia

Democrat Mikie Sherrill elected governor of New Jersey

Democrats flip 5 N.J. counties back to blue, cementing Sherrill’s sweep for governor

‘The ground is shaking’: Aurora City Council sees major change as progressives win, Jurinsky out

Pennsylvania voters retain three state Supreme Court justices, preserving Democrats' 5-2 majority

Democrat Corey O’Connor wins Pittsburgh mayor’s race

Democrats Pull Off Historic Victories in Georgia Special Election

Democrats Win 2 Key Energy Races in Georgia

Democrat Aftab Pureval wins reelection as Cincinnati mayor, defeating Vance’s relative

Democrats in Mississippi Break the G.O.P.’s State House Supermajority

Mary Sheffield elected Detroit's next mayor, will make history as first woman to lead city

Big win in Greece boosts Monroe County Democrats. Here are 2025 election takeaways

Democrats flip the Onondaga County Legislature for first time in nearly 50 years

Mamdani wins New York City mayor’s race

California voters approve new US House map to boost Democrats in 2026

Nov 10 - Voters Ousted This Pennsylvania Sheriff After He Signed Up to Collaborate With ICE

Nov 13 - Progressive Katie Wilson ousts Democratic incumbent in Seattle mayor’s race

Nov 30 - Virginia Democrat flips seat in state legislature by taking on datacenters

Dec 2 - Republican Matt Van Epps holds deep-red House district in Tennessee special election

Dec 3 - Republican Ousted by Democrat in Georgia

Dec 9

Democrat wins Miami mayor’s race for the first time in nearly 30 years

Georgia Democrat Eric Gisler flips a state House seat in district Trump won by double digits, CNN projects

Xop on December 10th, 2025 at 00:55 UTC »

An 86 point swing 😂

As a south Florida resident, Miami is sooo weird.

Illuminated12 on December 10th, 2025 at 00:49 UTC »

How long until Texas Republicans return to the SC to argue their own redistricting is illegal? LOL