Florida Politics

Democrat Eileen Higgins defeated Trump‑backed Emilio González in the Miami mayoral runoff, winning roughly 59% to 41% (about a 19‑point margin) in a race AP called Dec. 9, becoming the city’s first woman mayor and the first Democrat elected in nearly 30 years after González conceded. Higgins, backed by national Democrats including Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Ruben Gallego and Rahm Emanuel and praised by DNC Chair Ken Martin as a warning to Republicans, pledged to use city land for affordable housing, launch a full spending review, expand the City Commission from five to nine members and push back on what she called the Trump administration’s “inhumane and cruel” immigration actions.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has designated the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations in an executive order that bars state agencies from awarding contracts, employment, or funds to CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, or groups deemed to materially support them. CAIR-Florida says it will sue, calling the designation unconstitutional, while DeSantis said he welcomes the lawsuit and expects related legislation in January; the action follows a similar Texas proclamation being challenged in court and echoes a recent Trump executive order initiating federal consideration of Muslim Brotherhood chapters.