A Republican organization founded on the principles of limited government, strong national defense and equal rights and protections for all is backing former City Manager Emilio González for Miami Mayor.
The Log Cabin Republicans of Miami, a local offshoot of a national group that launched in 1997 to advocate for LGBT conservatives and allies within the GOP, confirmed its endorsement of González this week.
“On behalf of the Log Cabin Republicans of Miami, I’m honored to support Emilio T. González for Mayor,” Joshua Brown, the group’s chapter President, said in a statement.
“He is the kind of leader who will keep Miami accountable and focused on residents first.”
The new nod adds to others from Gov. Ron DeSantis, 11 former police officials, former Miami Director of Human Services Milton Vickers, mixed martial arts star Jorge Masvidal and Emmy Award-winning reporter Michael Putney, among others.
Miami International Airport (MIA) workers union AFSCME Local 1542, construction trade group Associated Builders and Contractors and Miami Young Republicans are also backing him.
González said of the Log Cabin Republicans endorsement that he is “proud to stand with a group that shares my belief that City Hall must serve residents — not itself.”
“Miami succeeds when leadership puts people before politics,” he said. “The Log Cabin Republicans of Miami understand that restoring trust, cutting waste, lowering taxes, and supporting small businesses are how we keep Miami strong and affordable.”
González is a U.S. Army veteran who rose to the rank of colonel and served as Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush.
He also worked as CEO of MIA from 2013 to 2017 and as Miami City Manager from 2017 to 2020.
He currently holds several professional and appointed roles, as listed on his LinkedIn profile.
González successfully sued Miami in July to stop officials, including Mayor Francis Suarez, from delaying the city’s election by a year, to November 2026. An appellate court then upheld the decision.
He is one of 13 candidates who qualified for the Mayor’s race. In an X post Monday, González said the top issue for residents this cycle is “ending corruption” at City Hall.
“Residents are tired of the circus,” he wrote. “We are better than what we have now. Let’s not settle for mediocrity.”
Other Republicans running include Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, former Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla, Christian Cevallos, Alyssa Crocker and June Savage.
Democrats running include Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, Ellijah Bowdre and Michael Hepburn.
Laura Anderson, Kenneth DeSantis and former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, who previously served as a Miami-Dade Commissioner and is the current Mayor’s father, have no party affiliation.
The Miami Mayor’s race is technically nonpartisan.
Miami’s General Election is Nov. 4. If no mayoral candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff.
