Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo has officially entered the 2025 race for Miami mayor, filing his candidacy just hours before the Saturday afternoon deadline.
At 70, Carollo says this will be his last bid for public office, bringing decades of experience and political battles to a field that has now grown to 13 candidates.
Carollo’s political career stretches back more than four decades. He was first elected to the Miami City Commission in 1979 at the age of 24, making him one of the youngest commissioners in the city’s history. Carollo later served two non-consecutive terms as mayor in the late 1990s, a period marked by intense electoral battles and legal controversies.
The 2025 mayoral race is shaping up as a competitive contest. Among Carollo’s rivals are Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, former City Commissioner Ken Russell, former Mayor Xavier Suarez, former City Manager Emilio González, and former City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla.
Michael Hepburn, who was endorsed by another candidate Max Martinez, is of Bahamian roots and running to be the city’s first Black mayor.
Despite the crowded field, Carollo expressed confidence that he would advance to a runoff election, citing his experience and deep roots in Miami politics.
A central storyline of the race is the rematch between Carollo and Suarez, recalling the contentious 1997 mayoral election. Initially, Carollo lost to Suarez, but the election was later overturned due to ballot fraud, ultimately installing Carollo as mayor in 1998. He served until 2001, when he was defeated in his reelection bid. After a period away from local politics, Carollo returned in 2017, winning the District 3 City Commission seat formerly held by his younger brother, Frank Carollo, and was reelected in 2021. However, he is now termed out, prompting his decision to run for mayor again.
Throughout his career, Carollo has been known for his outspoken style and hands-on approach to city governance, often taking strong stances on issues like development, city services, and municipal accountability.
The November 4 election will determine whether Carollo can leverage his long-standing political experience to overcome the diverse field of candidates and secure another term as Miami’s mayor.
