Democrats Get Edge in School Board Races

By The News Service of Florida

Democratic-endorsed school board candidates fared somewhat better Tuesday than candidates backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In July, DeSantis pitched an initial list of 23 endorsements for 2024 races. Of those candidates, six won primaries Tuesday, 11 lost and six others moved on to runoffs that will be decided in the November general election.

The Florida Democratic Party ended the primaries with seven of its 11 endorsed candidates getting elected, two losing and two others going to runoffs.

In some cases, candidates backed by DeSantis and the Democratic Party went head-to-head. In Hillsborough County, Democratic-backed school board members Nadia Combs and Jessica Vaughn each received more than 50 percent of the vote to defeat Layla Collins and Myosha Powell, who were backed by the governor. In Duval County, the DeSantis-endorsed Melody Bolduc held off Sarah Mannion, who was endorsed by the Democratic Party. In Miami-Dade County, DeSantis-endorsed incumbent Mary Blanco topped a three-candidate field but will have to face Democratic-backed Max Tuchman in a runoff.