Oct 24, 2025 - Politics

Meet the six leading candidates for Miami mayor in the Nov. 4 election

Martin Vassolo

Photo illustration of Miami City Hall with lines radiating from it. — Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios; Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

After eight years as mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez is leaving office.

The Nov. 4 election will determine his successor.

Why it matters: Whoever takes over for Suarez will be responsible for hiring and firing the city manager, who runs the day-to-day operations of the city, and serving as the largely ceremonial face of the city.

The mayor also has veto power over legislation passed by the City Commission and can either run commission meetings or appoint a chairperson.

How it works: Early voting begins Saturday and runs through Nov. 2. Check the city's website for hours and locations.

Who's running: Thirteen candidates are running, but six are considered leading contenders based on their invitation to participate in two mayoral debates hosted by CBS 4, NBC 6 and the Miami Herald.

These candidates received at least 5% in two polls from the Downtown Neighbors Alliance and Griffin Catalyst, an initiative from Citadel CEO Ken Griffin.

Joe Carollo

The sitting city commissioner and former Miami mayor was first elected to the commission in 1979.
In 2023, Carollo was ordered to pay a $63.5 million legal judgment after two Little Havana business owners sued him on First Amendment grounds. (In a related lawsuit, the city paid the business owners a $12.5 million settlement, the Miami Herald reported.)
Carollo has said that the city's top issue is housing affordability and that he has spearheaded the purchase of land to build 2,500 units of housing, of which 500 units are in the pipeline.
His priorities also include strengthening public safety and providing tutoring to school-aged children.

Alex Díaz de la Portilla

The former state lawmaker and city commissioner was first elected to public office in 1994.
In 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis removed Díaz de la Portilla from the commission after his arrest on charges including money laundering and bribery (which he denied and which were later dropped).
His priorities are reducing crime and helping residents with Miami's high cost of living.
He has proposed that developers pay into a housing trust fund to build affordable housing, refurbish existing housing and provide rental assistance.

Emilio Gonzalez

The former Miami city manager previously led Miami International Airport and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
His priorities include eliminating state property taxes (which he argues would improve housing affordability) and overhauling permitting and licensing to help small businesses.

Eileen Higgins

The Miami-Dade County commissioner was first elected in 2018.
Her priorities include improving the city's permitting process, upgrading city trolleys and investing in resiliency.
She says solving the affordability crisis requires building more housing and providing loans to help homeowners stay in their houses.

During her time in county government, she says, she has spearheaded the creation of 4,000 units of affordable and workforce housing — with 3,000 more in the pipeline.

Ken Russell

The former Miami commissioner was first elected in 2015 and left office in 2022 after an unsuccessful congressional run.
Running on an anti-corruption campaign, his priorities include expanding the commission from five to seven members and implementing stricter term limits, the Miami Herald reported.
His affordable housing plan includes reallocating Miami Forever bond money and renewing efforts to fund the West Grove Community Redevelopment Agency, which he spearheaded while in office.

Xavier Suarez

The former Miami mayor — and the current mayor's father — last served in elected office in 2020 as a county commissioner.
His priorities include expanding Miami's trolley service and advocating for two statewide proposals: freezing property taxes for homes valued under $575,000 and having the state take over catastrophic insurance for new affordable housing.
He says freezing property taxes would help address housing affordability.

The other candidates

Go deeper:

Miami voters will decide four referendums, including on whether to establish lifetime term limits or to make it easier for the city to sell certain public lands. Click here for our guide.
Residents will also elect new commissioners for Districts 3 and 5. Learn more about the candidates here.

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