School board candidates endorsed by DeSantis win or advance

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

The name of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did not appear on any of the 67 counties' ballots on Aug. 23 because No one challenged his party rival in a Republican primary.

In local school board elections, his name was all over the ballot, particularly in endorsements. DeSantis, seeking reelection to a second term amid speculation about his presidential ambitions, endorsed 30 school board candidates across 19 counties.

There were 19 outright winners, and six are advancing to runoffs in November, according to Florida's Secretary of State's office.

The 30 endorsed candidates pledged to support the “DeSantis Education Agenda,” which limits discussions of sexuality or gender identity, bans “critical race theory” and “woke ideology,” and aims to make the school system “about education, not indoctrination.”

DeSantis told reporters after his Aug. 23 cabinet meeting that school board endorsements have been the province of unions and progressive groups that dominate the education industry.

25 August 2022