Democrats focus on 11 School Board candidates to fight back against culture wars

The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) is giving money and doing grassroots organizing to support 11 School Board candidates for the Aug. 20 Primary.

“Our Take Back Local program is our way of investing in the candidates we feel will be most competitive in the upcoming election,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried in a statement. “We are not going to let Ron DeSantis and his allies take over our school boards with far-right, Moms for Liberty candidates.”

The female-dominated candidates are spread throughout the state. Five are incumbents. The group of candidates includes teachers, lawyers, a social worker and a tech entrepreneur.

Fried said the candidates “represent the best of Florida’s education system and offer a clear contrast to the culture wars Republicans have been waging in our school systems.”

The full list of the candidates includes Stephanie Arguello (Seminole), School Board member Nadia Combs (Hillsborough), School Board member Debbi Hixon (Broward), School Board member Sarah Leonardi (Broward), Sarah Mannion (Duval), Jeremy Rogers (Leon), School Board member Luisa Santos (Miami-Dade), Rebecca Thompson (Broward), Max Tuchman (Miami-Dade), Stephanie Vanos (Orange), and School Board member Jessica Vaughn (Hillsborough).

In the Hillsborough School Board race, the Democrats are supporting Vaughn and Combs, a pair of incumbents who were both elected in 2020 and both worked as teachers. Democrats praised Combs, who is up for Seat 1, for leading the district through the pandemic and financial problems. Meanwhile, Vaughn, who is seeking Seat 3, advocates for students who fall between the cracks, Democrats said.

In Central Florida, Democrats are supporting Orange County Public Schools candidate Vanos, a lawyer who had served as Vice President for the Democratic Public Education Caucus of Florida, Meanwhile, Seminole candidate Arguello brings ” fresh perspective” to the table and is focused on students’ health from her background in public health, Democrats said.

To read more about FDP’s work to support the candidates, click here.