DORAL, Fla. — Following a nationwide Democratic sweep in the recent election, Miami-Dade Democrats say they are working to rebuild momentum in a state that has turned solidly red.

The renewed push comes ahead of Miami’s high-stakes mayoral runoff. Former county commissioner Eileen Higgins, who earned 36% of the Nov. 4 vote, hopes to capture the seat.

“You have re-energized Miami-Dade Dems to be a laser-focused organization with one mission — winning,” Higgins told supporters.

Florida Democrats have struggled in recent years, holding no statewide offices. Laura Kelley, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair, said the goal now is “to build momentum for our party’s resurgence.”

State party chair Nikki Fried, the last Democrat elected statewide in 2018, says the new “Pendulum Program” will target voters year-round. She also blamed GOP-backed laws for voter disengagement.

“Voter suppression laws have been passed — everything from taking people off the vote-by-mail list every two years to making it much more difficult to do voter registration,” Fried said.

Democrats hope the Miami runoff becomes the first step in a broader comeback effort.

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