Florida Democrats' Local Program Claims School Board Wins Across State

The Florida Democratic Party announced victories in several school board races Tuesday as part of its Take Back Local initiative, a program launched in 2024 to support Democratic-aligned candidates in competitive local contests.

According to a statement from party chair Nikki Fried, the program helped elect candidates to school boards in Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Lee, Alachua, Pasco, and Sarasota counties. The party framed the results as a rejection of what it characterized as "extremist" influence in education policy, specifically naming Moms for Liberty and citing opposition to book bans and curriculum restrictions.

The Take Back Local program provides selected candidates with direct funding, voter data analysis, canvassing support, and phone banking assistance. The Florida Democratic Party says the program has achieved a 70% win rate across 10 cohorts of candidates competing in various local races, including previous victories in mayoral contests in Miami and Boca Raton.