The 1776 Project PAC and Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis worked together to support conservative candidates throughout the state of Florida on Tuesday, helping them turn numerous blue school boards into red ones.
While the 1776 Project PAC released a list of its favored candidates, DeSantis has traveled the state making the case for conservative candidates running for school boards. DeSantis backed 30 candidates, and 25 of them were elected.
After the election, DeSantis said, “We were able to win school board wins all over the state of Florida. Parents are tired of the education-related bullshit.”
The founder of 1776 Project PAC, Ryan Girdusky, remarked, “We witnessed enormous election gains all around the state of Florida tonight. It demonstrates the nationwide desire of parents and citizens for some normality in our educational system, and that includes fighting against critical gender theory, critical race theory, and equality that undermines academic excellence.”
Red votes were cast by the school boards of Sarasota, Clay, Duval, Miami-Dade, and Martin counties.
After Bridget Ziegler, Timothy Enos, and Robyn Marinelli won their elections, the formerly 3-2 leftist majority in Sarasota County changed to a 4-1 conservative majority. The 1776 Project PAC and DeSantis supported each of the three candidates. DeSantis’ appearance and support for us, according to Marinelli, “made the community aware of what was at stake. I believe it sends a very obvious message that our community was weary of what was going on.”
Ziegler said, “Governor DeSantis is aware of the value of education. In my opinion, Governor DeSantis shed some light on the school boards, but the truth is that there are active and knowledgeable citizens in the state and around the nation.”
Three conservative candidates supported by the 1776 Project won in Clay County, which has five board seats: Michele Hanson, Erin Skipper, and Ashley Gilhousen.
DeSantis supported candidates April Carney and Charlotte Joyce in Duval County, and they gained their seats with the board now having a majority of conservatives.
Both candidates won in Miami-Dade County where the 1776 Project PAC and DeSantis supported Roberto Alonso and Monica Colucci. A conservative-majority board now governs the biggest school system in the nation as a result of the elections.
Three candidates that were backed by the 1776 Project PAC in Martin County are now board members: Jennifer Russell, Christina Li Roberts, and Amy Pritchett.
