Arian Campo Flores

Even though the candidates have sought to focus on local issues like housing issues,

taxes and transportation.

All these national political forces have helped turn the race into a referendum on the parties and on Trump himself.

The race is a runoff between the top two vote-getters on November 4th

The Democrat Eileen Higgins, who is a former county commissioner, and the Republican Emilio Gonzalez, who is a former Miami city manager.

And it has increasingly become nationalized.

In the wake of recent elections, including the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey,

and Virginia, as well as the mayoral race in New York City, Democrats came out of them with a jolt of momentum.

And so a win in Miami would give them another boost ahead of the midterm elections next year.

It would also be significant because Miami hasn't had a Democratic mayor for roughly 30 years.

There was a recent poll that was done for the Miami Herald that found that even though Trump had 46 percent approval rating in Miami-Dade County, voters were less enthused by some of his administration's policies.

For instance, only 35 percent supported the administration's efforts to end temporary protected status for Venezuelans.

And only 15% agreed with this decision to hand over land owned by Miami Dade College to be used for a Trump presidential library.