Anti-Common Core activists are throwing their weight behind congressional candidate Rebecca Negron, endorsing her for CD18 to replace U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla.
This week Florida Parents Against Common Core endorsed Negron, a Martin County School Board member, in the August Florida primary election.
FPACC founders said Negron’s commitment to parents’ views are a key reason why they’re supporting her to replace Murphy.
“Since being elected to the Martin County School Board in 2012, Rebecca Negron has worked to ensure that parents have a priority voice in the education of their children,” said FPACC co-founder Laura Zorc in a statement. “Through her steadfast leadership, the School Board adopted a policy that gives parents and community members a place at the table throughout the textbook adoption process, now and into the future.”
Zorc said FPACC parent members saw the school board decision as “critical” to reinstituting local control in textbook selection as well as curriculum and standards.
Her work in Martin County, says Zorc, is indicative of how Negron would act if sent to Washington.
“If elected to Congress, Ms. Negron’s ultimate goal for education on the federal level will be to return ED back to the states, a necessary move consistent with the almost unanimous support of our parents,” Zorc explained. “Negron’s belief that the best decisions in education are made by those closest to the student and neighborhood school, which are parents and classroom teachers, gives us confidence she will take the principles she practiced on the school board to Washington, D.C.”
FPACC also says it believes Negron will push to eradicate the controversial Common Core State Standards from schools.
This is the second endorsement FPACC has made in recent weeks. Last month, the group endorsed State Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, for her State Senate campaign against Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne.
Negron entered the congressional race last April. If her name sounds familiar, there’s a reason: she’s the wife of Senate President-designate Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who will take over that position from 2017-2018.
There are six Republicans running to replace Murphy as well as four Democrats. Negron has raised nearly $630,000 for her campaign since announcing her candidacy last year.
She’s already been backed by several big names in Florida politics like U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, who endorsed her in March, as well as other Treasure Coast officials and Maggie’s List, a political action committee focused on electing conservative women to Washington.
The primary election will be held August 30.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
