Gabrielle Russon
It’s Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republicans versus Nikki Fried and the Democrats as they go head-to-head in endorsing opposing candidates for School Board contests across the state.
Throughout Florida, DeSantis is backing 23 School Board candidates, while the Democrats are giving support to 11 for Tuesday’s Primary.
“I’m happy to endorse this slate of school board candidates who have pledged to serve with a focus on student success, parental rights, and curriculum transparency,” DeSantis said recently on X as he announced his endorsements. “We want the best for our children and I’m confident all 23 candidates will build upon the success we’ve had here in Florida.”
Meanwhile, Fried announced Democrats are providing money and grassroots mobilization to its preferred School Board candidates.
“We are not going to let Ron DeSantis and his allies take over our school boards with far-right, Moms for Liberty candidates,” Fried said in a recent statement.
Could the endorsements help sway voters?
Maybe, said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida.
DeSantis’ backing could give candidates a bump, especially since voters typically don’t get as much information on local School Board races that can get overshadowed by presidential politics and more. They rely on endorsements to guide them in the smaller, local races, Jewett said.
“School Board endorsements from Ron DeSantis have had an impact on Republican and conservative voters and continue to have an impact. He remains popular with those groups and his endorsement is valued by Republican conservative candidates,” Jewett said.
But one conservative-leaning group that’s been quiet this election cycle is Moms for Liberty. The grassroots group fought against mask mandates during the pandemic and wants parents to have greater control over what books are in the school library. Its co-founder Bridget Ziegler, who sits on the Sarasota County School Board, was ensnared in a sex scandal with her husband.
“Moms for Liberty as an organization in Florida has to some degree become associated with scandal and hypocrisy because of the Ziegler incident and they have also become associated with book bans which many Floridians do not like,” Jewett said. “So overall, I think their endorsement is not as powerful as it was a couple years ago and has the possibility of creating a backlash effect in some races.”
For instance, Moms for Liberty has not issued an endorsement in one high-profile Orange County School Board race despite one of the candidate’s conservative leanings and similar ideology.
Florida’s School Board races are becoming higher-profile and more expensive. The nonpartisan races often become politicalized, as School Boards debate issues from masking during the COVID pandemic to book censorship and diversity initiatives. On November’s ballot, voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would make School Board races officially partisan starting November 2026.
The full list of School Board candidates DeSantis is endorsing across the state is: Matt Susin and John Thomas (Brevard); Tony Ricardo, Becky Nathanson and Melody Bolduc (Duval); Derek Barrs (Flager); Mark Cioffi (Hernando); Layla Collins and Myosha Powell (Hillsborough); Robert MacCallum and Kevin McDonald (Indian River); Melissa Giovanelli, Bill Ribble and Vanessa Chaviano (Lee); Marsha Powers (Martin); Mary Blanco (Miami-Dade); Allison Crumbley (Pasco); Erika Picard, Danielle Marolf and Stacy Geier (Pinellas); Karen Rose (Sarasota); Nate Spera (St. Lucie); and Donna Brosemer (Volusia).
The full list of the state Democratic Party endorsed candidates are: Debbi Hixon, Sarah Leonardi and Rebecca Thompson (Broward); Sarah Mannion (Duval); Nadia Combs and Jessica Vaughn (Hillsborough); Jeremy Rogers (Leon); Luisa Santos and Maxeme “Max” Tuchman (Miami-Dade); Stephanie Vanos (Orange); and Stephanie Arguello (Seminole).
26 comments
PeterH
August 16, 2024 at 5:55 pm
Florida and several other red states are social engineering trial balloons for the future Republican implementation of Project 2025. DeSantis’s early adoption of this dangerous and goofy radical right wing agenda has ended his ability to win the hearts and minds of voters in a national election……and that’s a good thing!
Day 26
August 16, 2024 at 6:23 pm
Speaking of goofy plans, how about that Kammy economic plan today?
PeterH
August 17, 2024 at 12:55 am
Anything new is better than Laffer Curve failed economic policies. Let’s remember that Laffer’s “trickle down” …OR …”voodoo economics”.. first implemented by Reagan……has decimated America’s middle class ….AND……hasn’t worked ANYWHERE in ANY COUNTRY! Yet Trump gave Laffer the highest civilian award The Medal of Freedom.
As Americans are slowly beginning to realize:
Republicans are America’s worst enemy!
Vote all Republicans out of office!
Day 27
August 17, 2024 at 9:24 am
You still calling yourself an independent? Saw a hilarious political cartoon this morning. Kammy casts the deciding vote that hired an additional 87,000 additional IRS agents to go after people. Then two years later she jumps on the bandwagon to not tax tips. Oh and going after inflation on day one. She’s been part of the most inept administration for over 1300 days. Where has she been?
Dont Say FLA
August 17, 2024 at 10:47 am
Are you referring to when VP Harris casts the deciding vote that passed the bipartisan (in the House, at least) Inflation Reduction Act which is the reason the rate of inflation in USA has returned to normal and is one of the lowest on Earth and is the reason the USA’s economy is one of the best on Earth? THAT vote? Great! Thanks so much for the foot in the door for talking truth about it
Re Don’t Tax Tips: Democrats don’t do the thing Republicans do and automatically come out against something just because the other party is for it like how Turnip Truck sunk the bipartisan border bill because he was jealous of Biden’/Harris’s looming success on the border where Turnip Truck failed for 4 years.
Democrats look at ideas, not their sources. Tips used to be cash and thus, in practice, tax free. Tips are now a line on a card receipt, subjecting them to records and thus taxes. Exempting tips from taxes for service workers is a good idea no matter who thought of it and no matter which party announced its support first.
IOW, grow up.
PeterH
August 17, 2024 at 1:02 pm
Whine on ImpeachBiden!
Super ELVIS
August 16, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Be sure to see SUPER ELVIS’ posting of Sage Wisdom below Peter H …. you know we are counting on your Trump vote.
Thanks Peter H,
SUPER ELVIS
Super ELVIS
August 16, 2024 at 7:11 pm
Well now America,
I guess it just comes down to this:
Do you want the Dems perverting and mulatating your kiddies or do you want them taught properly in school????
Be sure to vote Trump,
SUPER ELVIS
rick whitaker
August 17, 2024 at 5:53 pm
EARL PITTS AKA GARY BURBANK AKA BILLY PURSER AKA ETC., anyone who calls himself super elvis should be kept away from children. does lying all the time make you feel manly?
Day 26
August 16, 2024 at 7:21 pm
Kammy gonna do this and this on day one. Hey Kammy you have been VP for over 1300 days now. Why wait? Implement them now. Come on Kammy. That bulb is dim.
Ocean Joe
August 17, 2024 at 5:23 am
You seem to forget that a highly dysfunctional GOP House and a one or two vote margin in the senate prevent a lot of things from getting done. Just like the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Act, your boys all vote no (and then try to take credit for whatever does get done). Thanks to John McCain and the Dems the health insurance companies cant maul the public as much anymore.
Too bad Desantis and the Florida legislature caved in to storm insurance companies here, but they never side with consumers anyway. Yes, he’s so popular. Go pay your premiums.
Cheesy Floridian
August 16, 2024 at 8:38 pm
Vote for the people DeSantis didn’t endorse. Any independent candidate should win.
Day 26
August 16, 2024 at 8:56 pm
In case you missed it. DeSantis is wildly popular as Governor of Florida. He won his re-election easily over Charlie Crist. He would have defeated Nikki Fried by an even greater margin.
Phil Morton
August 16, 2024 at 9:13 pm
That was then, this is now:” DeSantis has one of the highest disapproval ratings for governors”, WFLA.
Day 26
August 16, 2024 at 9:30 pm
Ha! Ha! You going to believe the media? Remember most of them and their reporters were all in on the Joe Biden coverup. Remember that?
Seriously?
August 16, 2024 at 10:05 pm
You do understand that “the media” is reporting information sourced by others, in this case a survey sponsored by Morning Consult. Question the validity of the poll, if you can, but don’t question the media that spreads the scientifically-gathered information (as opposed to your opinion, which is not particularly scientific). https://pro.morningconsult.com/analyst-reports/governor-approval-rankings-april-2024
rick whitaker
August 17, 2024 at 5:57 pm
DAY 26 , HOWLER MONKEY, better look in the closet, there might be media hiding in there. boo! are you so foolish that you demonize media, then condemn them. how childish of you. grow up loser.
Ocean Joe
August 17, 2024 at 5:19 am
Wasn’t real popular in Iowa.
Hey, go pay your insurance premium Ed.
Day 27
August 17, 2024 at 6:00 am
Always do my internet stalking friend.
Day 27
August 17, 2024 at 6:17 am
Yes and how popular was Kammy when she ran for President in 2020? How many votes did she get back then? If third terms were allowed in Florida, DeSantis would easily win if he chose to run..
Cheesy Floridian
August 19, 2024 at 9:31 am
DeSantis sucks balls. He won over a weak candidate and many people liked the covid policies DeSantis pushed while alot of the country was still in lock down. This is the man saying that The Democrats are indoctrinating our children yet he is the won that is endorsing and wading into a nonpartisan election for school boards. Why does he want to pack school boards with people he likes/favors? Its not hard to see he wants people that will do what he says and not think and continue to indoctrinate the children.
Dont Say FLA
August 17, 2024 at 10:51 am
The existing MAGA factories around the USA (such as the state whose name I won’t say) would produce nothing but recalls if only those shadiest G0P Run States had recall votes as an electoral option for their
voterssubjects. But they don’t, because if they did, votes could potentially matter.You’re kidding, right?
August 16, 2024 at 10:08 pm
You do understand that “the media” is reporting information sourced by others, in this case a survey sponsored by Morning Consult. Question the validity of the poll, if you can, but don’t question the media that spreads the scientifically-gathered information (as opposed to your opinion, which is not necessarily or particularly scientific). pro.morningconsult (.)
com/analyst-reports/governor-approval-rankings-april-2024
Day 27
August 17, 2024 at 6:19 am
No Im not kidding. My local newspaper is famous for posting polls, many of them wrong, in an attempt to influence elections,
Dont Say FLA
August 17, 2024 at 10:56 am
Polls just tally what some people said, so they’re rarely wrong.
Wrong stuff can be who got asked stuff, and how the results are presented or intentionally misrepresented.
But if a pollster asks 5 dentists who they’re voting for and all 5 say “Harris,” if the poll says 5 out of 5 dentists are voting for Harris, that poll is correct.
Extrapolation from those results stating that all dentist, all doctors, or even all voters are voting for Harris, that could be incorrect. But probably not very incorrect since dentists had to graduate college and then pretend-medical school, too
Vernon E. Shelton
August 17, 2024 at 6:15 am
nice
Comments are closed.