Miami mayoral candidate reveals how he will flip script on Dem rival's 'city of renters' strategy

By Fox News · Fox News

EXCLUSIVE : Miami Republican mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez is accusing his progressive Democratic opponent Eileen Higgins of wanting to "create a city of renters" despite pushing a message of affordability. Instead, he is proposing a plan to turn Miami into a "city of owners." Gonzalez and Higgins will face off in a runoff election on Dec. 9 after none of the candidates reached 50 percent of the vote on election night on Nov. 4. Higgins won 35.96 percent of the vote while Gonzalez took home 19.47 percent. Higgins, a Miami-Dade County commissioner who resigned her office to run for mayor, has emphasized "building an affordable and prosperous future." She has touted her successes as county commissioner in investing nearly $3 million in small business grants and investments in building nearly 7,000 affordable housing units. However, in an interview with Fox News Digital, Gonzalez, who is an Army veteran, former West Point teacher and business leader, warned that while Higgins has emphasized affordability in her campaign, her policies would stunt the American dream and keep citizens in perpetual renter status. DESANTIS-BACKED GONZALEZ, DEMOCRAT COUNTY COMMISSIONER HIGGINS HEAD TO RUNOFF IN MIAMI MAYOR RACE Gonzalez has been endorsed by President Donald Trump , Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. "She can point to some votes on a county commission to help put up a building here or a building there. But it really doesn't move the needle," Gonzalez told Fox News Digital. "The affordability issue, it sounds very nice, but it means absolutely nothing because she really hasn't done much when it comes to affordability." "Right now, Miami is so expensive. Nothing is affordable," he continued. "We're in a situation where our young people once they graduate from college, they have to leave because the jobs here don't pay enough. The apartments cost too much. Forget about a mortgage. There's nothing in Miami that sells for less than five, six hund…