Frum Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner Wins Reelection in Close Race

Miami Beach, FL — In a political earthquake, Miami Beach voters narrowly reelected its Frum Mayor Steven Meiner for a second term in a closely watched election against Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez.

With the final results in, Meiner narrowly won re-election with just 357 votes; he received 7,643 votes (51.21%), while Rosen Gonzalez finished with 7,281 votes (48.79%).

“I am so appreciative to all the residents of Miami Beach. Campaign season is over and victory parties are sweet!” Mayor Meiner said after election day. “The day after our election, I already hit the ground running, working hard for our quality of life. We have made great strides, but there is more to do to keep Miami Beach shining, welcoming, and safe. I’m eager to continue the work!

Steven Meiner, a Frum Yid, previously held the position of Miami Beach’s Group 4 commissioner until he ran and won for mayor of Miami Beach in 2023, as reported by FrumNews at the time.

Most of the November races were widely reported, NJ and VA Governors, the races for NYC Mayor and council—but this race went largely under the radar.

A tale of two cities

Miami Beach, as well as most of South Florida, has a significant Jewish population, with an estimated 15,000 Yidden living in the city. Steven is the second Frum mayor elected in the state since 2022, when Shlomo Danzinger was elected as mayor of Surfside.

Unlike Surfside—whose mayoral race went off the rails, with Yidden attacked for living there—the Miami Beach races in 2023 and 2025 went comparably civil.

Born in Flatbush, Steven has dedicated most of his 23-year professional career as an attorney to public service, fighting against fraud. When he moved to Miami Beach in 2007, Steven served as a civil law enforcement attorney with the SEC. Prior to the SEC, Steven practiced law in New York City, handling complex financial litigation cases for prestigious international law firms Dewey Ballantine and Mayer Brown.

On the Issues

Both candidates supported several issues, e.g., the city’s 2023 homelessness ordinance, and a water taxi link to Miami. However, they sparred mainly on crime statistics.

Gonzalez’s platform centered on affordability, reviving tourism, and (further) lowering crime (she insisted crime was going up). She also claimed that Miami Beach is losing the economic battle.

Meiner ran on a platform of “law and order,” highlighting his crackdown on Spring Break, work to reduce crime by successfully prosecuting criminals, and efforts to push through flood control projects.

“In just two years as Mayor, residents feel safer as we have reduced crime, our homeless numbers are at historic lows, no more chaos during Spring Break as we restored order, and we brought accountability back to City Hall.” Meiner said aout his accomplishments and goals on X. “But there’s more work to do—and the progress we’ve made is on the line. Let’s keep Miami Beach moving in the right direction.”