By wading into school board races and endorsing local candidates, Gov. Ron DeSantis is attempting to reshape the education landscape in Florida.
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Belford said she’s “not investing a lot of energy” into the negative campaigning as she continues to knock on doors and canvass ahead of Tuesday’s election.

“The shift in school board races has matched the divisiveness of our people’s perspectives,” Belford said.

Belford in her bid for reelection is facing a political newcomer in Megan Wright, who has the backing of DeSantis.

Wright says she wants to be an advocate for parents on the school board and aligns with the Republican governor on key issues conservatives are pushing for in 2022. She’s against gender orientation and sexual identity being brought into the classroom and lessons that “focus on one race as an oppressor and one race as an oppressed,” which the GOP has branded as vestiges of “critical race theory.”

“The school board believes they are the parent to the children, and that’s not their role whatsoever,” Wright said in an interview.

The DeSantis endorsements each came with a $1,000 contribution from his political committee. And on top of that, they also directed conservative state lawmakers where to donate their money.

Some candidates backed by DeSantis are blowing out the competition on fundraising. Yet others are facing tighter margins or even losing their races.

Students return to school at Seminole Heights Elementary School after the Florida Department of Education mandated that all schools must have in-class learning during the week on August 31, 2020 in Tampa, Fla.