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Kimberly Dugger
Kimberly Dugger (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 19. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Dugger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kimberly Dugger was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 1981, a master’s degree from Florida State University in 1991, and a Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 2010.
Dugger’s career experience includes working as an education supervisor for Florida State Prison, helping inmates earn their G.E.D. She has also worked as a teacher, health specialist, grant writer, and principal. Dugger served as President of the Putnam County Democratic Women's Club and as a board member of the Putnam County Historical Society.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Florida House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Florida House of Representatives District 19
Incumbent Bobby Payne defeated Kimberly Dugger in the general election for Florida House of Representatives District 19 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bobby Payne (R) | 73.2 | 58,184 |
 | Kimberly Dugger (D)  | 26.8 | 21,259 | |
| Total votes: 79,443 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Kimberly Dugger advanced from the Democratic primary for Florida House of Representatives District 19.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jaiden Hamilton (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Bobby Payne advanced from the Republican primary for Florida House of Representatives District 19.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kimberly Dugger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dugger's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I taught and then became a principal, retiring in 2019 after thirty-five years. I enjoyed the challenge of turning around failing schools and hold teachers in the highest regard. The last five years I worked as an Education Supervisor helping inmates earn GEDs. I saw firsthand the 'school to prison pipeline' and know that we can do better as a country to prevent the dismal destiny of so many citizens. When I am not volunteering, I am blessed to be fishing in the St. Johns River.
- From the very beginning of my candidacy, I embraced "Fulfill The Dream 2020" as my campaign slogan because I believe that Martin Luther King's 'Dream' speech encompasses exactly where our country should be today. And as he said, "The Time is NOW!" The recent pandemic and race riots should serve as a wake-up call for all Americans that we simply cannot continue to demonize those who disagree with us. But rather, it is time to dig deep in our hearts and realize that what unites us as Americans is far more significant than what separates us.
- We have to raise the level of Education for All students because they are the next generation and we leave far too many behind. This is due to low expectations; we allow students to put their heads down, transfer to easier schools and to drop out. Research shows just the opposite that if we believe in kids, tell them they are worth it, and hold them to standards, then and only then, will they begin to believe in themselves. When asked who their favorite teacher was, people never say it was the easiest teacher, but always the toughest.
- The preservation of what remains of Florida's natural environment is critically important to me and is one of the reasons I am putting my heart and soul into this campaign. Growing up in Florida, I enjoyed the springs, rivers, camping, hiking, and the great outdoors, I want present and future generations to be able to enjoy it like we did. The upcoming election is critical because the very corporations that are destroying Florida's environment, like phosphate, petroleum, and big sugar, are the major contributors to many of our current lawmaker's campaigns. We cannot replace the environment, only preserve it.
Mandatory sentencing guidelines need to be reviewed and repealed in some areas. They prevent hundreds of non-violent offenders, who have been rehabilitated, from being released. I saw this firsthand working with many inmates at Florida State Prison, Union Correctional Institution and New River. In addition, the Florida Commission on Offender Review (FCOR), a Governor and Cabinet Agency Created in 1941 intended to ensure public safety and provide victim assistance through the post prison release process. This commission is ineffective and does not release inmates that are deserving to go home. I have seen many inmates who completed all of the programs previously recommended by FCOR, go to their parole hearings only to be told once again to complete yet more programs.
"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. The story of how we achieve success. When we think about someone who is successful, we are curious about what that person is like, what gifts they were born with, their personality and lifestyle. We assume these personal qualities are the keys to their success.
However, our assumptions are part of the myth of the self-made man (or woman), someone who earned his successes through hard work and innate talent. We call these people outliers; their achievements are so extraordinary that they fall well outside the norm.
Gladwell asks, "Is anyone really "self-made"? Talent and hard work are clearly important, but are they the only factors that contribute to success?
Gladwell argues that success (or failure) depends more heavily on luck. This luck comes from external factors and their hidden advantages that are often out of your control, including where and when you were born, what kind of family you were born into, how you were parented, and how much money your family has.
Reading this book opened my eyes about what we teach students about success in this world. Putting success into perspective helps free people of the notion that they cant be what they want to be in life.
I want to be instrumental in improving the futures of at-risk students because I know it is possible! We know that High school dropouts fare substantially worse than their peers on a wide variety of long-term outcomes. On average, a dropout earns less money, is more likely to be in jail, is less healthy, is less likely to be married, and is far less happy than a high-school graduate. Yet dropout rates in the United States have remained essentially unchanged, at roughly 30%, during the past three decades. This problem disproportionately affects low-income and minority students. Nearly half of these individuals do not graduate with their class. These facts alone should warrant outrage among lawmakers.
Unfortunately when it does not impact us directly, it is not our priority. Yet, the truth is that it does impact all of us. As taxpayers, we pay for these failures for years to come and especially when our collective failures end up in prison.
As I entered the front office, the secretaries were watching the television, specifically, the twin towers being destroyed by suicide bombers. Needless to say, I underwent a major paradigm shift for my life; everything I knew for sure or thought I knew, and held sacred, was in jeopardy. Suddenly, nothing was a given and the world would be forever changed; how would we deal with our newfound knowledge that we were no longer safe?
I understand the historical, cultural and demographic reasons for establishing bicameral legislatures, however, I believe the design lends itself to abuse of power, failure to get bills passed along with the watering down of bills that were initially more substantive, and the over representation of special interests.
Assuming that the first-time elected official has credentials that helped get them elected, they offer a fresh approach to old problems and perhaps alternative solutions, based on their own successful experiences. They are not entrenched or beholden to status quo. In addition, because of the power inherent in this position, it is the hope that legislators are in the job for the right reasons: to serve others, fairly, justly, morally and honestly.
When I was a principal, we held an assembly with local business owners who spoke to the students about job preparation. Overwhelmingly, the business owners told the students that they can teach them the skills needed. However, that was not what they looked for in new employees. Rather, soft skills were more desirable. They wanted employees who arrived to work on time, had good rapport with others, good character, honest, etc.
I have government experience but not formal political experience. My late husband was the Secretary for the Department of Corrections in Tallahassee, which exposed me to many political situations. I learned a great deal and this experience helped to shape my perspective on whether prior experience hinders or helps new employees.
The reason that I was a successful school principal is because helping the teachers was my number one priority. They knew it, respected me and wanted to please me. They knew that I did not expect "yes" people; rather free thinkers, not afraid to offer suggestions. Our differences were our strengths. I spent a lot of time talking with them, building our relationships and they in turn, were the best teachers one could ever find.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 18, 2020
