'Woke' Sarasota School Board member targeted by DeSantis files for re-election

The morning after walking out of a Sarasota County School Board meeting as members of the public directed anti-gay comments toward him, Tom Edwards filed paperwork with the elections office to run for re-election.

Edwards, the only Democrat on the School Board and recent target for GOP criticism, filed for re-election to his seat for the 2024 elections Wednesday morning, according to a candidate statement filed with the county Supervisor of Elections Office. He was first elected during the August 2020 primary election, defeating incumbent Eric Robinson with 52% of the vote.

Edwards who is gay, was one of 14 school board members in Florida named as a target of Gov. Ron DeSantis last month for defeat in next year's elections. Edwards' filing came after his dramatic exit during a School Board meeting after board Chairman Bridget Ziegler indicated she would not curtail anti-gay remarks by a speaker. That speaker, during the public comment period, prompted a verbal outcry by the audience when she made reference to "what Tom wants to do to our children."

Last meeting:Edwards walks out of Sarasota School Board meeting as anti-gay public comments continue

More:Gov. Ron DeSantis targets 'woke' Sarasota School Board member for 2024 election

He left the meeting, saying he was "not going to sit here and allow this."

Edwards is in the minority on the Sarasota School Board, which now has a conservative majority made up of Ziegler, Tim Enos, Robyn Marinelli and Karen Rose. The four are registered Republicans, while Edwards is a Democrat.

Edwards said he’s filed for re-election because he wants the community to know he’s “in it for the long haul.”

“Our students need to have the other voice that doesn't represent a political agenda,” he said. “From terminating the superintendent to eliminating character education and everything in between, they need to know that somebody's there that has their back.”

He has previously described himself as "woke," a word that has been used by the governor and conservatives to target progressive activism. While more progressive than the conservative school board majority, Edwards said he would describe himself as a moderate rather than a liberal.

"Florida is where woke goes to die," DeSantis said in his January inauguration speech.

Following the release of DeSantis' list of school board targets, Edwards said wasn't sure why DeSantis would target him or see him as a threat since he said conservatives already control the board.

"I appreciate the spotlight that the governor is giving me for my good governance, and for my quality School Board work for the students and my community," Edwards said.

Ziegler and Marinelli have been critical of media coverage surrounding Edwards and the attacks on him in public meetings, arguing it's part of the job.

Ziegler also cited "constant inflammatory attacks launched by liberal activists using terms such as Nazi, racist and bigot" toward conservative board members.

Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota School Board's Edwards files for re-election after walkout