Latino GOP political consultant Mike Madrid, author of ‘The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy’, reacted to the city of Miami electing its first female Mayor, Eileen Higgins. Higgins will become the first Democrat to lead the city — Florida’s second-largest — in close to 30 years. (She trounced her Trump-endorsed opponent, former city manager Emilio Gonzalez, by nearly 19 points.)
Madrid, the former political director for the California Republican Party (and critic of President Trump since 2016), compared the Miami mayoral election to New York’s, where Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani emerged victorious in November.
Madrid wrote on social media: “When Cubans in Miami are shifting the same direction as Puerto Ricans and Dominicans in NYC something significant is happening.” (Cubans in Florida, having fled Castro’s communist nation, tend to align with rightwing Republicans in America, whereas Latino New Yorkers from Puerto Rico and the DR have traditionally voted for Democrats.)
[Note: During his first mayoral debate, candidate Mamdani said: “I wouldn’t be here without the support of the Latino New Yorkers, because it was the majority of their support that helped make me the Democratic nominee.” Mamdani was also the only candidate to participate in the city’s Dominican and Puerto Rican pride parades.]
An X user named Nick Walker replied to Madrid, “I’m a dem, but I think these shifts are temporary. They’ll last until the ICE raids die and then people will be motivated by different issues. That said it does look bad for the GOP in 2026 and 2028.”
Madrid replied to Walker: “They weren’t motivated by ICE. They were motivated by the economy.”
Mamdani ran on three main issues: the cost of living, access to housing, and the creation of a free public transportation system. In covering the Miami mayor’s race, ABC News reported that “affordability was the crux of Higgins’ platform.”
With the voting data below, Madrid added: “Parts of Little Havana shifted 15-20 points to the Left in last nights [sic] Miami mayors race.”
Parts of Little Havana shifted 15-20 points to the Left in last nights Miami mayors race https://t.co/rEJjAlSkqn
— Mike Madrid (@madrid_mike) December 10, 2025
Madrid summed up: “Anyone claiming you can’t infer anything from the race in Miami last night is crazy given every election across the country this month is showing the exact same trend. Last night’s results were significant. Could they change? Yes, but downplaying them isn’t serious analysis.”
Addressing Republicans who credited low turnout among Republicans for Higgins’ win, he added, “Low turnout with your own base means even your own voters aren’t buying what you’re selling. That’s not the flex you think it is.”
