Endorsements of school board members by state executive officeholders and candidates, 2024

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This page lists endorsements of school board candidates by state executive officials and candidates in 2024. Endorsements included official statements, appearances at campaign rallies, and direct participation in campaign ads and materials.

Ballotpedia identified one state executive official or candidate who made 23 school board endorsements in 2024.

This page organizes the endorsements by state and endorser, and includes the following:

• Florida: Endorsements made Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)
• Background
• See more

See one we missed? Email us at editor@ballotpedia.org

Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)

Ron DeSantis endorsed 23 candidates.

School board endorsements by Ron DeSantis, 2024
Candidate	Status	Office sought	Endorsement type	Outcome
John Thomas (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Brevard Public Schools school board District 3	Primary	Won primary
Matt Susin (Nonpartisan)  source	Incumbent	Brevard Public Schools school board District 4	Primary	Won general
Tony Ricardo (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Duval County Public Schools Board of Education District 1	Primary	Won primary
Rebecca Nathanson (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	Duval County Public Schools Board of Education District 3	Primary	Lost primary
Melody Bolduc (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Duval County Public Schools Board of Education District 7	Primary	Won primary
Derek Barrs (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Flagler County Schools school board District 3	Primary	Lost primary
Mark Evan Cioffi (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Hernando County School District school board District 4	Primary	Won primary
Layla Collins (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	Hillsborough County Public Schools Board of Education District 1	Primary	Lost primary
Myosha Powell (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	Hillsborough County Public Schools Board of Education District 3	Primary	Lost primary
Marsha Powers (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Martin County School District school board District 2	Primary	Won primary
Mary Blanco (Nonpartisan)  source	Incumbent	Miami-Dade County Public Schools school board District 7	Primary	Won general
Alison Crumbley (Nonpartisan)  source	Incumbent	Pasco County Schools school board District 4	Primary	Lost primary
Danielle Marolf (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	Pinellas County Schools school board District 1 At-large	Primary	Lost primary
Erika Picard (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	Pinellas County Schools school board District 4	Primary	Lost primary
Stacy Geier (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	Pinellas County Schools school board District 5	Primary	Lost general
Karen Rose (Nonpartisan)  source	Incumbent	Sarasota County Schools school board District 2	Primary	Lost primary
Robert MacCallum (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	School District of Indian River County school board District 3	Primary	Lost primary
Kevin McDonald (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	School District of Indian River County school board District 5	Primary	Lost primary
Melisa Giovannelli (Nonpartisan)  source	Incumbent	School District of Lee County school board District 2	Primary	Won primary
Bill Ribble (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	School District of Lee County school board District 3	Primary	Won primary
Vanessa Chaviano (Nonpartisan)  source	Open seat	School District of Lee County school board District 7	Primary	Won general
Nate Spera (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	St. Lucie Public Schools school board District 4	Primary	Lost primary
Donna Brosemer (Nonpartisan)  source	Challenger	Volusia County Schools school board District 4	Primary	Won general

Background

In 2022, Ballotpedia identified seven state executive officials or candidates for those offices across four states who made 114 endorsements. These types of endorsements represented a new development compared to previous election cycles.

In July and August 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and his opponent in that year's gubernatorial election, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D), both endorsed slates of school board candidates. NBC News' Tyler Kincade wrote: "It was unusual to see a sitting governor wade into what are officially nonpartisan races that historically have been overlooked by big donors and the national media."

In September 2022, NPR said of school board races, "[w]hat used to be small, local contests are now attracting outside money and attention from groups and political leaders."

Ballotpedia continued this research in 2023, identifying 31 state executive officials or candidates for those offices across eight states who made 111 endorsements.

See also

• State executive official elections, 2024
• School board elections, 2024
• Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024