Race, School Choice, and Governor Ron DeSantis

In one of the most hopeful aspects of the 2018 election, Ron DeSantis, Florida’s new conservative Governor, won by wooing school choice minority women. Around 100,000 black women voted for him, putting him over the top by 40,000 votes, in spite of his opponent, Andrew Gillum, trying to become the first black governor in Florida’s history.

Twice as many black women voted for DeSantis than voted for Rick Scott, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senator in the same state. Mr. Scott’s opponent was white.

18% of Florida’s black women voted for DeSantis. Nationally, 7% of black women vote Republican. Only 8% of black men voted for DeSantis. He also got 44% of the Latino vote.

Why? Exit polls show that school choice was the major reason for DeSantis’ surprisingly strong showing among black women. Over 100,000 low-income students in Florida, mostly minorities, use the Step Up For Students program, which grants tax-credit funded scholarships to attend private schools. Even more students are enrolled in the state’s 650 charter schools. School choice supporters made sure Florida’s voters knew that Gillum, backed by the teacher unions, strongly opposes school choice.

School-choice minority moms decided not to elect the first black Governor in Florida. They put their kids ahead of race. Their top priority was liberty in schooling. The result was an excellent pro-liberty conservative Governor in Florida, a critical state in the 2020 election. Very good news!

Learn the lesson Republicans. School choice helps kids, and because of that, it helps loosen the socialist grip on minority voters. Now that’s a win win!