A week before candidate qualifying, Pasco County Superintendent John Legg jumped into the political fray of his district’s August school board campaigns.
Voters will decide who holds three of five nonpartisan seats, a majority on the board. Two incumbents are retiring, ensuring a new look on the dais regardless of who wins.
Legg, who won his seat as a Republican two years ago, aims to influence the outcome in the crowded field.
“We are losing two business perspectives on our board,” he said. “We need a business aspect.”
To that end, he announced his support for real estate agent Mollyana Ward in District 3 and consultant Gino Collura in District 1. Legg also endorsed District 5 incumbent Megan Harding, a former teacher whom he has backed since before he was sitting in the superintendent’s chair.
Legg and Harding have long-standing ties dating back to when he was her fifth grade teacher.
The idea of a school district’s chief executive weighing in on district politics might seem alien to residents. Legg’s predecessor, Kurt Browning, didn’t publicly support candidates during his 12 years in office, saying he would work with whoever sits on the board.
Appointed superintendents in neighboring districts, including Pinellas and Hillsborough, generally steer clear of the elections, given that board majorities — not voters — control their employment.
Political involvement is not unheard of for superintendents, though. Pasco district leaders prior to Browning often didn’t hide their efforts to have allies on the board to support their agendas.
And Legg said as an elected official himself, he feels free to speak directly to voters about what he believes the school board needs. He was not concerned about potential bad blood if someone he did not back gets elected.
But that possibility looms.
“I genuinely believe the superintendent should remain neutral for school board races and it’s concerning to me how, even before qualifying, he has chosen to strongly endorse a candidate,” Erin Stroupe, a parent activist vying for the District 3 seat, said via email.
Legg spoke positively of Stroupe but said she did not bring the same business viewpoint as Ward. He did not comment on the other two hopefuls, Kirk Phillips and Matt Geiger, who say they’re in the running.
Ward, meanwhile, immediately posted on Facebook about the “HUGE NEWS!” of Legg’s endorsement.
“His support signals confidence in my ability to be thoughtful, prepared and effective on the board,” Ward said via email.
“I encourage all voters to really do their research this election cycle and ensure the candidate they choose for District 3 has their children’s best interests at heart without any other agenda — political or otherwise,” Stroupe said.
Harding, who’s seeking a third term in her District 5 seat, said she could understand how a candidate might be put off by not getting the superintendent’s backing. In 2018, Browning didn’t talk about candidates publicly, but his team worked behind the scenes for Harding’s opponent.
“They had parties for her,” Harding recalled. “I will never forget how I felt.”
She said that while endorsements can be helpful, candidates connect with voters by focusing on the issues more than their list of supporters. Michelle Mandarin, who ran for superintendent in 2024, has prefiled to challenge Harding.
District 1 aspirant Brian Perras said he is counting on voters looking past ads and contributions. He expected to translate Legg’s backing of Collura into a message that it’s the voice of the people against the establishment.
Collura has been appointed to two boards by Gov. Ron DeSantis and has the backing of several state lawmakers and local leaders, including outgoing Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. He could not be reached for comment.
“They’re trying to manipulate the voters to be for who will be a rubber stamp for his agenda,” Perras said. “That’s what they do.”
Two other candidates, Christopher King and Kimberly Coward, have filed papers to enter the District 1 race.
Perras suggested that endorsements don’t necessarily carry the weight that they might have when Pasco was less populated and more insular.
“It will be up to the people to decide,” he said.
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