The real estate sector played a significant role in the outcome of Miami’s mayoral runoff, with Eileen Higgins emerging as the city’s next mayor. Higgins, a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner, defeated Emilio Gonzalez, who previously served as city manager, by an 18-point margin. She secured 59 percent of the vote compared to Gonzalez’s 41 percent.
In the initial election on November 4, Higgins led a field of 13 candidates with 36 percent of the vote while Gonzalez garnered nearly 20 percent. Since no candidate surpassed the required majority threshold, a runoff was held.
Although Miami local elections are officially non-partisan, the contest became highly polarized along party lines. Gonzalez received endorsements from prominent Republican figures in Florida, including President Donald Trump. In contrast, Democratic organizations at both state and national levels supported Higgins through advertising and mail campaigns. She also received backing from notable Democrats such as former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Higgins’ victory marks two milestones: she is now Miami’s first female mayor and also becomes the first Democrat to hold the office in over twenty years.
During their campaigns, both candidates addressed issues affecting developers and residents alike. They promised to improve Miami’s permitting process—an area that has drawn criticism for causing construction delays—and proposed measures to address housing affordability challenges. While Gonzalez advocated for eliminating property taxes on homesteaded properties, Higgins highlighted her experience at Miami-Dade County where she approved projects totaling nearly 7,000 affordable and workforce housing units.
Higgins attracted greater support from major real estate industry players than her opponent. Campaign finance records show that after November 4 she received nearly ten times more contributions from real estate professionals and related entities than Gonzalez did. Her political action committee (PAC), Ethical Leadership for Miami—which will file its next financial report in January—also likely benefited significantly from donations within the sector.
A recent fundraiser hosted by land use law firm Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes included high-profile industry guests such as Jose Gonzalez of Florida East Coast Industries; Nelson Stabile of Integra Investments; Jonathan Raiffe and Sara Adler of Adler Properties. State law allows unlimited donations to PACs but caps individual campaign contributions at $1,000 per donor.
For her individual campaign fund, Higgins received maximum-allowed donations from developers like Jeff Berkowitz of Berkowitz Development Group and his wife Yolanda; Michael Liu of Swerdlow Group; Rilea Group; zoning lawyers Iris Escarra and Melissa Tapanes Llahues; as well as multiple contributions linked to Integra Investments and Adler Properties.
Gonzalez’s donors included Alicia Cervera Lamadrid (Cervera Real Estate), Associated Builders & Contractors, and attorney Anthony De Yurre among others.
In other city races decided during Tuesday’s runoff:
– Rolando Escalona—a real estate broker and restaurant manager—won an open commission seat in Miami by defeating Frank Carollo with 53 percent of votes.
– Monica Matteo-Salinas claimed victory in a Miami Beach commission race against Monique Pardo Pope with 71 percent support.
Escalona’s win ended the Carollo family’s long-standing presence on the commission. Bill Fuller—a developer involved in litigation against Joe Carollo—attended Escalona’s celebration event.
The campaign between Matteo-Salinas and Pardo Pope was marked by controversy over management issues at an affordable housing nonprofit led by Matteo-Salinas and revelations about Pardo Pope’s late father’s criminal history. Following reports about her father published by filmmaker Billy Corben and subsequent public attention to her social media posts referencing him, Pardo Pope stated: “I too am a victim in this.”
