Two DeSantis-backed Miami school board candidates win, one edging out a longtime incumbent (Miami-Dade school board now majority conservative)

Miami Herald ^ | 08/23/2022 | Sommer Brugal

[Drew68]

The two candidates Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed for the Miami-Dade School Board were poised to win their primary election Tuesday night, with Roberto Alonso winning by a wide margin in the seat to succeed the board’s outgoing chairwoman and Monica Colucci moving forward to unseat longtime incumbent Marta Pérez in a very tight race.

Alonso, 41, a businessman and Miami Dade College Board of Trustees member whom DeSantis appointed to the board in 2020, won against two challengers in the open seat vacated by former School Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman, who had been the District 4 representative since 1996 and the board chair for 14 terms (nonconsecutive). The district covers a large swath of northwest Miami-Dade, including Hialeah and Miami Lakes.

As of 11 p.m., Alonso, who does not come from the classroom, had garnered about 57.3% of the vote, with all 69 precincts counted, but some mail ballots were still being tallied. His challengers, Maribel Balbin, the former president of the Miami-Dade chapter of The League of Women Voters, and Kevin Menendez Macki, a former district teacher and the principal at Horeb Christian School, garnered about 25% and nearly 18%, respectively.

***snip***

DeSantis endorsed more than 30 school board candidates across the state. Historically, a Florida governor has not endorsed candidates in countywide school board elections because local property taxes fund public schools and candidates run in nonpartisan races.

On Tuesday morning, DeSantis told reporters in Tallahassee he thought it was important he endorse school board candidates this election cycle — something he said was new for Republican leaders.

“I think you’re gonna see a lot of them be able to be successful,” DeSantis said, referring to his endorsements “I think more parents are interested, some of our [Republican] voters are interested.”

[Drew68]

Overall, the school board members who were endorsed by DeSantis did fairly well. Of the 29 endorsed, at least 22 of them beat their opponents. A handful lost, and a few others are gearing up for a runoff.

And many of those he didn't endorse have embraced his positions.

I know school board elections aren't particularly important here but it's time they should be. This is how we take our public schools back, schools that we pay for.

Glad to see Governor DeSantis leading the charge on this and winning!

[Presbyterian Reporter]

“””Historically, a Florida governor has not endorsed candidates in countywide school board elections because local property taxes fund public schools and candidates run in nonpartisan races”””

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Because FL Governors have not endorsed school board candidates in the past, that is how we have ended up with a bunch of leftists being the school board in majority conservative counties.

In Manatee County the two candidates endorsed by DeSantis were big winners.

Also Manatee County got rid of two leftist County Commissioners.

GO DESANTIS AND GO MAGA!!!!!

[The Louiswu]

Now lefty activists will invade and disrupt every school board meeting demanding stupid stuff and threatening violence.

[Drew68]

Now lefty activists will invade and disrupt every school board meeting demanding stupid stuff and threatening violence.

Actions that aren’t nearly as effective in Florida as they are in other states.

[Dan in Wichita]

DeSantis has cleaned up Florida elections. Where there are free and fair elections, conservatives can win in a big way.

[Albion Wilde]

That is a stunning development in a blue county!

[Lurker]

Anyone “coming from the classroom” should be automatically disqualified.

L

[cowboyusa]

RED TSUNAMI IN FLORIDA!