Higgins: Mayor Suarez “did some things well and did some things not so well”
Higgins gave current Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s tenure a mixed review, saying he “did some things well and did some things not so well.”
She applauded his ability to make Miami a top destination for business and tourism, but said he “left people behind in that.”
She said his policies made the housing affordability crisis worse and “increased the gap between the haves and the have-nots.”
Gonzalez says permitting issue was not as bad when he was city manager
Both candidates have made permitting reform a large part of their campaigns, and when asked why he didn’t do something about the issue when he served as city manager, Gonzalez said it wasn’t as big a problem at the time.
He also laid blame on other members of the city’s government, saying, “You could discover the cure for cancer, but if you don’t have three people voting for it, it doesn’t fly,” calling it “a circus.”
Higgins acknowledges Gonzalez was cleared of fraud accusations despite ad accusing him
Higgins defended a TV ad her campaign is running that says Gonzalez has been “accused of fraud.”
While she acknowledged he has been exonerated, Higgins said, “The residents are frustrated with a city that is nothing but people yelling, suing each other, involved in lawsuits and disruption, so nothing is getting done for them.”
In response to the ad, Gonzalzes said, “People call me, they laugh. They know. People know who I am. They know what I’ve done.”
He said the reason he resigned from his former position as city manager was that his wife was “going through some very serious medical issues,” saying he had to choose between going to city commission meetings and taking care of his wife. He said he chose the latter.
Higgins “very concerned” about immigration enforcement tactics, “very glad” Trump did not endorse her
Former County Commissioner Eileen Higgins said she is “very concerned” about the way immigration enforcement is being handled in Miami.
“First of all, they said they were gonna go after criminals, but guess what? They’re going after everybody,” she said.
She called the Trump administration’s enforcement “inhumane and cruel” and also said it was “bad for the economy.”
She noted that the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, which she said impacts about 100,000 people in the Miami area, forced one local business owner to fire several employees who had lost the legal right to work in the country.
Asked if Gonzalez should have rejected President Trump’s endorsement, Higgins said: “He’s the president. I’m very glad the president didn’t endorse me.”
Gonzalez says Trump endorsement came “by surprise”
Former Miami City Manager Emilio Gonzalez has been endorsed by President Trump, but he says the endorsement came “by surprise” and that it was not something he actively sought.
“I do know that the president, because he’s a resident of Florida and there’s talk of putting a [presidential] library here in Miami, he follows events in Florida,” Gonzalez said.
Asked if he supports Mr. Trump’s immigration policies, Gonzalez said he supports “rounding up people who commit crimes.”
“I cannot in good conscience fight the federal government and defend a rapist or a murderer, like happens in other cities,” he said. Moderator Jim DeFede noted most of the people being arrested have not committed violent crimes, to which Gonzalez replied: “But this is a federal issue. …This is not an issue that has to do with the mayor of Miami.”
Who are the candidates in the Miami mayoral debate?
Eileen Higgins served on the Miami-Dade County Commission, representing parts of central Miami-Dade. She has campaigned on increasing government transparency, expanding affordable housing options, and restoring trust in City Hall following years of political turmoil and corruption scandals. The mayoral race is officially nonpartisan, but the Florida Democratic Party congratulated Higgins on qualifying for the runoff and said it shows “Miami is on the path to getting the leadership it deserves.”
Emilio Gonzalez, a retired Air Force colonel and former Miami city manager under Mayor Francis Suarez, is running on a platform centered on leadership experience and fiscal discipline. Gonzalez previously oversaw the city’s administration and has emphasized management expertise and financial stewardship. He has touted being endorsed by leading Republicans including Sen. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who praised his “commitment to our nation and Miami.”
Al Diaz/Carl Juste/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
