Sitting and former Orange Co. School Board members back Carlos Guillermo Smith for Senate

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 3/07/22-Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, center, chants with opponents of the ‘Don’t Say Gay” bill, Monday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Three sitting members of the Orange County School Board are endorsing Carlos Guillermo Smith’s Senate campaign.

School Board members Melissa Byrd, Angie Gallo and Maria Salamana are supporting the Orlando Democrat’s run in Senate District 17. So are former School Board members Daryl Flynn and Linda Kobert.

“Carlos is a strong advocate for education and has worked to ensure our schools are safe for all students regardless of their background or identity,” Salamana said. “He has been outspoken about how legislation impacts our families and will continue to represent our community needs in Tallahassee.”

The Florida Parent-Teacher Association in 2020 named Smith as Legislator of the Year. The recent endorsements signal the public education world in Central Florida still holds the former lawmaker in high esteem.

But perhaps more importantly, the endorsements show Orange County Democrats continuing to rally around Smith as a successor to Sen. Linda Stewart, an Orlando Democrat facing term limits. He remains the only candidate filed for the seat.

“I am happy to endorse Carlos Guillermo Smith,” Byrd said. “As a state Representative, he always put students first and made decisions that were good for kids. He spends time getting to know his constituents and serves them faithfully with his heart. Carlos is a true public servant and I know he will continue to fight for what is right in the Senate.”

Smith served three terms in the Legislature but lost his seat in November to Republican Susan Plasencia. But Smith has remained vocal on policy issues.

“Carlos has proven himself to be a voice for students and educators in Central Florida,” Gallo said. “He has worked across the aisle to fight for the well-being of our students and I know that he will continue to be a champion for our public schools in the Senate.”

Kobert served on the School Board from 2018 to 2022. Flynn served from 2006 to 2018.

Smith embraced the support from all the sitting and former School Board members, which follows a number of sitting lawmakers supporting his candidacy.

“I am deeply honored to have the support of so many current and former Orange County School Board members and look forward to continuing our work together,” he said.

“Orlando deserves a champion in the Florida Senate who respects the dignity of every student and who puts public education first. Tallahassee has turned our classrooms into political battlefields and worsened our teacher shortage with their extreme agenda. We need adults in the room, not book banners and anti-LGBTQ zealots.”