Election results Tuesday firmly proved Republicans hold dominance of Sarasota area politics. But they also showed Republicans here won’t be commandeered completely by extremists in their ranks.

The former point seemed proven in brutal fashion by the ouster of long-time Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates. The last time she appeared on the ballot in 2016, the Democrat won more than 61% of the vote in Sarasota County despite Donald Trump in his race against Hillary Clinton winning nearly 54% of the vote here. Ford-Coates ran unopposed four years later, but this year faced outgoing County Commissioner Mike Moran, her best-funded opponent ever. With ticket-splitting mostly out of vogue, the Republican took 51% to Ford-Coates’ 49% and the last Democrat holding a partisan office in the two-county area lost her seat

A series of woes washed Ford-Coates from office. I’d argue none had to do with voters losing trust in her performance. Indeed, a quick glimpse at where she performed well suggests any neighborhood where most residents lived more than a few years broke her way, regardless of precinct’s natural political lean.

But high-growth areas, voters knew little about Ford-Coates besides the (D) by her name. She may well have been named Kamala Clinton-Obama. One can’t help but wonder if a self-interested party switch might have saved Ford-Coates’ job.

A Southwest Florida GOP consultant, who called Moran's victory "an embarassing win," told me Ford-Coates was undone by three things. One was that Moran, unlike also-ran she has faced since 1984, was a political animal. Two was Ford-Coates was not, and almost actively avoided campaigning, something worsened by the unexpected death of her husband in September. But the county’s rightward shift ultimately denied her an 11th term.

Does that mean the region became some right-wing conclave? Whatever you read in The Washington Post, I’d argue no. Longtime observer here may long for the centrist, business-focused Republicans of 20 years ago, but the electorate remains one that believes in the benefits of government. That means a well-staffed Sheriff’s Office, impressive parks and libraries, and, maybe above all, a strong school system.

Voters on Tuesday unsurprisingly renewed a millage tax funding the area’s high-performing schools. More important, they delivered a higher share of votes in favor of taxation than any other county in Florida voting on similar measures. The 84% YES vote exceeded the pro-tax campaign’s most optimistic expectations. But in politics, there’s no excuse for being surprised.

The area’s largest philanthropic foundations supported the tax. So did most business groups (excluding the Suncoast Builders Association, but let’s save that shaming for another day). Whatever shouting comes from The Hollow, responsible conservatives still run the show in Sarasota.

More evidence could be found earlier this year when an anti-privatization slate of Sarasota Public Hospital Board candidates in the GOP Primary shut down so-called “medical freedom” candidates, weirdos high on anti-vax propaganda with an unhealthy distrust of institutional expertise. The responsible slate again won in November, this time lifted simply be being Republicans.

Need more proof reason won local politics this cycle? The conservative hyperbole during Florida’s peak-Ron DeSantis era briefly installed a field of hard-right bullies to run the Manatee County Commission (they even named a park for the Governor). But this year, Republicans in the Primary cleaned house and restored sense and civility to county politics.

Many progressives in the region today lick wounds, hurt by what populist energy brought once more at the national level. But Tuesday showed responsible politics can win even in a polarized world. Give it time, and that should bring solace even at a divisive moment in history.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA. 

Photo courtesy Pixabay.

As our beloved region heals in the wake of disruptive storms, the ideas of partnership and support are top of mind for us at Visit Sarasota County (VSC). Bringing awareness to the vitality of our local businesses – hotels, restaurants, attractions, local services and beyond – has been imperative during this time of recovery. To that end, our tourism team is committed to collaboration and swift, nimble responsiveness to the expectations and realities of our community.  

In these moments, it’s critical that those who are already here in Sarasota County know what is available to safely see, do and experience. One of the ways we are addressing this is through a new campaign called “Support the 941.” Building on our longstanding “Fun in the 941” efforts, this campaign takes a more encompassing approach in encouraging all local businesses, regardless of their affiliation with VSC, to share how they’re ready to welcome visitors and residents alike on supportthe941.com. 

#SupportThe941 is truly grassroots, relying on word of mouth and user-generated content. Patrons are encouraged to post about their experiences on social media using #SupportThe941, and we’ll then promote this content across our own channels to showcase to the world the vitality of our destination. We’ve also launched a Neighborhood Navigator Pass to nudge visitors to explore 15 different areas of our county – an experience that benefits not only local businesses by bringing traffic but also participants who can receive exclusive giveaways.

The recovery of our hospitality industry is vital to strengthening the overall quality of life in our region. Last year, we saw more than 3 million visitors amassing an economic impact of tourism totaling $4.2 billion. The #SupportThe941 campaign is an immediate catalyst for tourism from locals, with the strong potential to resonate with those coming to our area, thereby sustaining and enriching economic opportunity as businesses get back on their feet. 

And as they do, we’re working hard to ensure they have a stream of out-of-town guests ready to experience their offerings. In fact, the day after Hurricane Helene hit, we were on the phone with our neighbors to the north at the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau to start planning a regional push to strengthen tourism amidst the storms’ impacts and, critically, heading into season. 

We launched this “Florida’s West Coast” campaign on Nov. 1, and right now, custom digital content is promoting hidden gems from both Sarasota and Manatee counties in major metros. With added support from statewide associations like VISIT FLORIDA, this campaign will run through the winter and beyond into 2025 – to let visitors know we remain a viable travel destination.

Neither of these efforts were created in a vacuum, but rather thanks to input from a cross-section of industries and community stakeholders. Just last week, we held a series of town halls to share information on #SupportThe941, our Florida’s West Coast campaign, and how we plan to use $500,000 in matching funds from VISIT FLORIDA to boost media efforts through the summer. We were able to hear thoughts, ideas, suggestions and frustrations directly from local businesses and immediately apply their insights to our current campaigns. 

It’s thanks to the determination and resilience of these partners and so many others that we’re now firmly on the path to normalcy. Yet as we continue to navigate these twists and turns, it’ll take a united front to uplift our hospitality industry. Gratefully, there’s no shortage of ways to show your love for all things local and support the 941. 

Erin Duggan, CDME, is president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County.  

Our nation’s principal preparation programs are too focused on compliance and survey-style courses that “cover” outdated theories instead of clinically proven best-practice and executive leadership competencies. Our children are our future and principals support the teachers to lead children to success. 

At New College of Florida, we are preparing to launch a program in Fall 2025 that will change K-12 educational outcomes. Think not of the principal of one’s childhood, sitting at a desk, writing grants and reports. Think of the CEO of a small, nimble company responsive to clients and customers. This executive is a service minded leader who is an expert in the core function of the business: teaching and learning. This leader is ready to serve as a model of excellent teaching and character building and as a coach and mentor.

The Master’s of Educational Leadership at NCF breaks the mold in principal development programs by developing tomorrow’s school leaders to be the CEO’s of their schools, demonstrating ownership and servant leadership, and an orientation toward mission and outcomes. The pillars of this two year in-person program are built around the following characteristics of excellent principals:  

• Mastery Focused: Embrace the mindset that all students can achieve at a high level with the appropriate support and effort.
• Analyzers of Student Work: Look at student work on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to monitor learning.
• Champion Teachers: Develop into models of high impact instructional practices. 
• Effective Coaches: Build rapport with teachers to plan and practice new techniques to drive professional growth and learning outcomes.
• Stewards of Knowledge-Rich Curriculum: Building rigor through a sequence of great books, background knowledge and complex mathematical concepts.
• Steeped in Cognitive Science of Learning and Leadership: Applying the latest peer-reviewed and proven research from cognitive scientists like Daniel Willingham and David Yeager to daily leadership with faculty and students.
• Codifiers of Clinical Best Practice: Leveraging outlier positive results to drive the identification and dissemination of effective practice.

Graduates of this groundbreaking program will not only have an intellectual understanding of these qualities but have demonstrated mastery of each of the key skills. Just as surgery residents perform procedures to demonstrate mastery of skills, New College master’s candidates will lead a cohort of teachers, proving their ability as an instructional leader before graduating.

Most traditional principals earn their position after one to two decades of service and navigating considerable politics. The next generation of principals should be developed through programs like ours, allowing them to take on significant leadership much earlier in their careers. This will help the education sector attract talent into the workforce and keep our best and most-talented educators for their entire career. Additionally, teachers who are managed by highly effective principals stay in their roles longer. They also report being more satisfied and, most importantly, have stronger learning outcomes with their students.

In 2028, our first graduates will become principals. We will follow them into their schools and track their results, breaking new ground around what is possible in education for our nation. Show me how you're educating your children, and we will tell you your future. Our future will be bright if we take care of our most precious commodity.

Richard Corcoran is President of New College of Florida. 

Graphic courtesy Pixabay.