Mayor-Elect Eileen Higgins and supporters celebrated her election on Tuesday night after voters chose her as the first woman to serve as mayor in the City of Miami.
Just a few minutes after the clock struck 7 p.m. on Tuesday night, a cheer burst out from the crowd of several dozen people gathered at The Miami Woman’s Club for an election night party with mayoral candidate Eileen Higgins.
“Yes!” one man shouted, as others collectively pressed refresh on their phones.
The first results of the night had been posted, showing Higgins ahead with a nearly 20-point lead over her Trump-backed opponent. With more than 23,000 ballots counted, victory seemed imminent.
Champagne was popped and poured.
By 7:20 p.m., nearly all the votes had been tallied and her lead had remained steady. Higgins would be the city’s first woman mayor. The Woman’s Club, a fitting place to celebrate another crack in the glass ceiling, was filled with glee.
The sign adorning the front of the podium with the words “Eileen Higgins For Mayor” was swapped out for a new sign: Mayor-Elect Eileen Higgins. Applause roared from the crowd among chants of “Madam Mayor” and “Eileen.”
A few moments later Higgins took the stage, embracing her family to the sound of the crowd singing Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).”
Miami-Dade County’s first woman mayor Daniella Levine Cava looked on from the front row, while Nikki Fried, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, gleamed just behind her.
“Our city chose a new direction. We chose confidence over chaos, results over excuses, and a city government that finally works for you,” Higgins told supporters.
“I just spoke with my opponent, Emilio Gonzalez,” she added. “A good man that I’ve known for many, many years and genuinely respect. He cares about our community. That is what unites us, a shared desire to see Miami succeed.”
By the time her five-minute speech ended, the crowd had ballooned in size, filling nearly every square inch of the Woman’s Club floor, with everyone trying to reach Higgins to congratulate her.
Familiar faces from the City of Miami began to appear, including City Manager Art Noriega, Police Chief Manuel Morales, and Commissioners Ralph Rosado and Miguel Angel Gabela.
Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo arrived just before 8 p.m., fighting through a swarming crowd of people trying to catch a selfie with Higgins, and congratulated the mayor-elect with a hug.
“I’m absolutely excited to work with her,” Pardo told the Spotlight. “I think it’s very good for the city to have new faces, new ideas, and I think she absolutely encapsulates that, especially (as) someone who talks about getting to work right away.”
True to her campaign promise, Higgins said she planned to waste no time.
“All of you together powered this victory and you made this moment possible,” she told the crowd. “But I know something else about all of you. I know full well that you plan on holding me accountable. Because tomorrow morning, it’s time to get to work.”
