DeSantis' control over Florida school boards faces significant setback
At least 11 candidates that he endorsed seem to have been defeated on Tuesday.
TroibNews 
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Governor Ron DeSantis’ efforts to elect conservative school board members across Florida faced challenges on Tuesday, as several of his endorsed candidates appeared to lose in key races.
DeSantis, who prioritizes the overhaul of Florida's education system, backed 23 candidates ahead of the election. By late Tuesday night, at least 11 of those candidates seemed to have been defeated. This marks a significant decline compared to 2022, when DeSantis experienced considerable success, with only five of the 30 candidates he endorsed losing.
According to unofficial county election results, DeSantis-backed candidates won six races, with another six proceeding to runoffs in November.
While Florida’s school board elections are officially nonpartisan, prominent candidates received mixed endorsements and financial support from both conservatives, including DeSantis and the Moms for Liberty group, and state Democrats alongside the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.
These elections followed DeSantis' withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. Throughout his tenure as governor, DeSantis established significant influence across Florida, reshaping the state legislature, Supreme Court, and school boards via his endorsements or appointments. The failure of many of his preferred school board candidates on Tuesday might indicate a waning of his power following his unsuccessful presidential campaign.
In the four direct matchups between DeSantis and the Florida Democratic Party, Democrats won twice, while DeSantis' candidates achieved one victory, with another contest going to a runoff. These races were particularly competitive, with candidates addressing contentious issues like book bans and parental influence in education.
The Democratic Party of Florida endorsed 11 candidates this election cycle, with seven emerging victorious and two advancing to runoffs. Their strategic push aimed to “fight back against Ron’s Moms for Liberty candidates and their partisan extremism,” according to Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.
“When we knocked doors and made phone calls for these candidates, we kept hearing the same question from voters — ‘is your candidate going to ban books, or are they going to protect them?’” Fried stated Tuesday night. “Our freedom starts in our schools, and we’re proud to have supported candidates who will fight for our students’ rights to see themselves represented in a book, to feel safe at school, and ensure every student has access to a high-quality education where they can learn and grow.”
A spokesperson for DeSantis' political organization did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday, but his aides framed the election results as indicative of the governor's readiness to engage in difficult contests.
"There were A LOT of uphill battles in historically blue districts today, but you don’t shift the culture by only supporting winnable races," Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for the governor, shared on X. He noted the success in Duval County, where two out of three DeSantis-backed candidates won, declaring it a "win for students and parents in a historically blue county."
In Hillsborough County, incumbents Nadia Combs and Jessica Vaughn, both supported by Democrats and the FEA, maintained their positions against Layla Collins, the spouse of GOP state Sen. Jay Collins, and Myosha Powell — both backed by DeSantis. The results of these two seats could have altered the balance of the local Tampa-area school board.
In Duval County, DeSantis' endorsee Melody Ann Bolduc defeated Sarah Ann Mannion, who had the backing of Democrats and the FEA. In Miami-Dade County, DeSantis-supported incumbent Mary Blanco will face off against Max Tuchman, who was endorsed by Democrats, in a runoff.
In Pinellas County, DeSantis backed three candidates, also supported by Moms for Liberty, aiming to disrupt the local school board dynamics. However, incumbents Eileen Long and Laura Hine prevailed against DeSantis' endorses Erika Picard and Danielle Marolf. The third candidate endorsed by DeSantis, Stacy Geier, is slated for a runoff.
The election outcomes on Tuesday starkly contrast with 2022 when DeSantis first entered school board races, benefiting from a wave of support following parental frustrations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Results from Tuesday night are unofficial until they receive certification from election officials, a normal procedural step. The Associated Press does not typically project winners in school board races as it does in congressional and legislative contests; PMG's tallies are grounded in races where all precinct results were reported to election officials as of late Tuesday night.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
DeSantis, who prioritizes the overhaul of Florida's education system, backed 23 candidates ahead of the election. By late Tuesday night, at least 11 of those candidates seemed to have been defeated. This marks a significant decline compared to 2022, when DeSantis experienced considerable success, with only five of the 30 candidates he endorsed losing.
According to unofficial county election results, DeSantis-backed candidates won six races, with another six proceeding to runoffs in November.
While Florida’s school board elections are officially nonpartisan, prominent candidates received mixed endorsements and financial support from both conservatives, including DeSantis and the Moms for Liberty group, and state Democrats alongside the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.
These elections followed DeSantis' withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. Throughout his tenure as governor, DeSantis established significant influence across Florida, reshaping the state legislature, Supreme Court, and school boards via his endorsements or appointments. The failure of many of his preferred school board candidates on Tuesday might indicate a waning of his power following his unsuccessful presidential campaign.
In the four direct matchups between DeSantis and the Florida Democratic Party, Democrats won twice, while DeSantis' candidates achieved one victory, with another contest going to a runoff. These races were particularly competitive, with candidates addressing contentious issues like book bans and parental influence in education.
The Democratic Party of Florida endorsed 11 candidates this election cycle, with seven emerging victorious and two advancing to runoffs. Their strategic push aimed to “fight back against Ron’s Moms for Liberty candidates and their partisan extremism,” according to Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.
“When we knocked doors and made phone calls for these candidates, we kept hearing the same question from voters — ‘is your candidate going to ban books, or are they going to protect them?’” Fried stated Tuesday night. “Our freedom starts in our schools, and we’re proud to have supported candidates who will fight for our students’ rights to see themselves represented in a book, to feel safe at school, and ensure every student has access to a high-quality education where they can learn and grow.”
A spokesperson for DeSantis' political organization did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday, but his aides framed the election results as indicative of the governor's readiness to engage in difficult contests.
"There were A LOT of uphill battles in historically blue districts today, but you don’t shift the culture by only supporting winnable races," Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for the governor, shared on X. He noted the success in Duval County, where two out of three DeSantis-backed candidates won, declaring it a "win for students and parents in a historically blue county."
In Hillsborough County, incumbents Nadia Combs and Jessica Vaughn, both supported by Democrats and the FEA, maintained their positions against Layla Collins, the spouse of GOP state Sen. Jay Collins, and Myosha Powell — both backed by DeSantis. The results of these two seats could have altered the balance of the local Tampa-area school board.
In Duval County, DeSantis' endorsee Melody Ann Bolduc defeated Sarah Ann Mannion, who had the backing of Democrats and the FEA. In Miami-Dade County, DeSantis-supported incumbent Mary Blanco will face off against Max Tuchman, who was endorsed by Democrats, in a runoff.
In Pinellas County, DeSantis backed three candidates, also supported by Moms for Liberty, aiming to disrupt the local school board dynamics. However, incumbents Eileen Long and Laura Hine prevailed against DeSantis' endorses Erika Picard and Danielle Marolf. The third candidate endorsed by DeSantis, Stacy Geier, is slated for a runoff.
The election outcomes on Tuesday starkly contrast with 2022 when DeSantis first entered school board races, benefiting from a wave of support following parental frustrations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Results from Tuesday night are unofficial until they receive certification from election officials, a normal procedural step. The Associated Press does not typically project winners in school board races as it does in congressional and legislative contests; PMG's tallies are grounded in races where all precinct results were reported to election officials as of late Tuesday night.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
