“There is no place in the world today for the idea that some people are born to rule and others to be ruled.” — the late Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley
If Miami’s mayoral race is an indicator of the national mood, color that mood surly.
The ripple effect of widespread dissatisfaction felt by Americans because of the high cost of food, appliances, rent, and mortgages is reflected in political races this year during Donald Trump’s second presidential term. In almost every case, voters have delivered beatings on Republican candidates.
Last week, the trend continued when former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins trounced her conservative opponent, former city manager Emilio González.
Higgins, who also broke the glass ceiling for women, garnered 59.5 percent of the vote.
“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,” Higgins said in a statement.
“As Mayor, I will lead a government that works for everyone — one that listens, acts, and delivers. From safe neighborhoods and affordable housing to clean parks, thriving small businesses, and a City Hall that finally earns the public’s trust, we’re ready to get to work. 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. ¡Vamos a trabajar!”
Political shift
Higgins spoke powerfully against the dubious DeSantis-Trump-powered immigration crackdown that has upended the lives of undocumented and documented immigrants, including U.S. citizens.
“This is the first year ever where residents have told me they’re afraid, right?” Higgins said in an earlier interview with CNN. “I can’t go an hour when I am at community events without meeting someone whose brother, sister, aunt, uncle, was either taken to Alligator Alcatraz or who knows where? They don’t even know where they are.”
In the aftermath, political pundits muse that Miami’s mayoral runoff likely illustrates a broader national political shift, with Democrats not only breaking lengthy Republican stranglehold on the seat, but also because it is the latest momentum boost ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Seats have flipped blue in West Palm Beach as well as in Georgia, Mississippi, Iowa, and several mayoral seats in Connecticut.
It is not lost on Republicans, MAGA and otherwise, that González lost despite being endorsed by President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, and U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Ted Cruz.
In the back of Republican and MAGA minds, what’s concerning to them — even as they try to mask their fears with bravado — is the potential for an unsettling Democratic sweep in next year’s midterm elections.
This year, Democratic candidates secured:
- Gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia.
- The surprise election of a young, bold democratic socialist powered by young, multi-ethnic, disaffected voters in New York.
- Passage of Proposition 50, a measure that gives California legislators room to redistrict congressional seats and give Democrats the opportunity to potentially capture five additional U.S. House seats.
- Defeat of a measure in Maine that would have restricted voting.
- Re-election of three Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges to retain a Democratic majority.
‘Dehumanizing and cruel’
Just about all the races revolved around affordability issues, analysts said. They noted that voters responded positively to Higgins’ criticisms of the DeSantis-driven policies allowing ICE agents to arbitrarily stop, harass, detain, and deport immigrants and U.S. citizens, plus her calls for affordable housing in an area of the country struggling with soaring housing costs.
“We are facing rhetoric from elected officials that is so dehumanizing and cruel, especially against immigrant populations. The residents of Miami were ready to be done with that,” Higgins said in an Associated Press interview following her victory speech Tuesday night.
Interestingly enough, Trump, during a swing through Pennsylvania to discuss Republicans’ steps toward countering inflation, assured the audience that his policies were driving down prices even as he characterized the “affordability issue” as a “Democratic hoax.”
Florida Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, of Boca Raton, said during a recent news conference in the Capitol: “I’m hopeful that, as this session goes on, we in the House and the Senate in both parties are able to work together and do things that really do affect affordability and that affect peoples’ lives.”
Berman described affordability as her caucus’s top priority next session.
“Prices are rising, period. And we are seeing Republican politicians pander to D.C. and squabble amongst themselves instead of fixing the problem, so Democrats are offering ideas,” House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, of Tampa, added.
Moneywise, WalletHub, Forbes, and Yahoo Finance reported recently that Florida is the second most-distressed state in the union in terms of its residents’ debt obligations, with a 23 percent increase in the share of people with distressed bank accounts between 2024 and 2025. In addition, Florida holds the sixth-highest overall share of people with accounts in distress, at 7.3 percent.
Economic distress
In human terms, this reflects a sharp increase in bankruptcy filings; residents with accounts in forbearance or deferred payments; America’s lowest average credit scores; and higher prices for groceries, rent, mortgages, gasoline, and health care.
Americans are struggling to pay their bills, even turning to credit to pay for essentials. A recent LendingTree survey found that one-quarter of buy-now-pay-later users have used these loans to buy groceries.
“The last few years have been a whirlwind for Americans’ finances, with inflation, fluctuating unemployment, public health crises and natural disasters making it hard for people across the country to pay their bills,” the WalletHub website says.
In the last presidential election, Americans voted for Trump because of their deepening anxiety and escalating frustration with the cost of everything.
Democrats have finally figured out a winning message and have been relentlessly hammering Republicans on affordability.
Author and political consultant Avis Jones-DeWeever told me in a recent interview she is elated at the prospects.
“These wins were critical because it showed that people will fight back even though the Democratic Party is spineless. It was a powerful rejection in multiple states in multiple ways. It was a full-fledged rejection of (the Trump administration’s) autocratic ways,” Jones-DeWeever said.
The comprehensive wins across the country, she said, illustrate that “we are still a two-party system. We can’t allow these criminals to maintain power.”
Power of pragmatism
DNC finance chair Chris Korge, a Florida resident and major donor and volunteer for Higgins’ campaign, agreed.
Higgins’ “victory is proof that a pragmatic Democratic leader who addresses the electorate’s everyday concerns can rewrite electoral history,” he said.
In a sensible move designed to position themselves competitively, Florida Democrats offered Higgins support and national Democrats also showed up to campaign for her. This includes former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who encouraged voters in a video to make a plan to vote for Higgins; U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who joined her Sunday for early voting stops; and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who appeared at a Higgins rally the Monday before the election.
Higgins’ win is a well-placed boot in the backside of MAGA Republicans who focus on culture wars; continue to ignore the crucial needs of ordinary Floridians; bully and try to intimidate opponents; exhibit poor leadership; and reward their friends and punish their enemies.
For people tired of DeSantis’ and Republicans’ abuse of power and unlawful and immoral activities, these Democratic wins are a welcome breath of fresh air.
- Journalist Barrington Salmon lived and wrote in Florida (Miami and Tallahassee) for 20 years. He is a 2017 Annenberg National Fellow (University of Southern California) who currently freelances for publications including the National Newspaper Publishers Association/Black Press USA, Trice Edney Newswire and Al Jazeera. He was educated in the United Kingdom, Jamaica and the U.S. Salmon lives in the nation's capital and can be heard on his Livestream video blog “Speak Freely with Barrington Salmon.” Connect with Barrington on Speak Freely + follow him on Twitter/X (@bsalmondc), Instagram and on his Facebook pages, Barrington Salmon & BarringtonSalmonWrites.
