Nine candidates have qualified to pursue two Pasco County School Board seats being vacated by their current holders.
It’s the largest turnout of hopefuls in years for the board, which has seen little turnover outside of retirements over the past two decades. Unless someone emerges with more than half the vote in the Aug. 18 primary, the top two vote-getters in each of those races would face off in the November general.
The incumbent seeking reelection to the third seat on the ballot, meanwhile, drew a single opponent, meaning that race will be settled in August.
Here’s how the fields have shaped up.
District 1
Four candidates qualified for the District 1 seat that Al Hernandez filled for one term before opting against running for reelection. Three of them have vied for office previously.
Christopher King, a retired U.S. Marine who founded a Dade City nonprofit on etiquette, human rights and human trafficking awareness, unsuccessfully sought election to the Dade City Council in 2020.
Brian Perras, a substitute teacher and youth athletics referee, ran as a Republican trying to oust GOP U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis in 2022.
Kimberly Coward, an attorney and former Pasco County school counselor, lost her bid for the Broward County School Board in 2022. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Office, she recently returned to Pasco.
The person considered the early front-runner for the position, however, has never previously run for public office. Gino Collura, a business consultant, has been appointed to two posts by Gov. Ron DeSantis. He’s grabbed endorsements from several high-profile officials, including Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
When Collura announced his plans, two other hopefuls who had filed papers signaling their intent to run withdrew their bids.
District 3
Five candidates jumped into the race to replace District 3 incumbent Cynthia Armstrong, who has served since 2010 and chose not to run again.
Matt Geiger, who has worked as a school director for a residential academy affiliated with the Benfica soccer club, lost his bid to unseat Armstrong four years ago.
Sean O’Flannery is a military veteran and educator who has worked in Pasco, Pinellas and currently the Hillsborough school district. He also taught at Florida Virtual School. In the early 2000’s, he twice ran for the Pinellas County School Board.
Kirk Phillips, a retired human relations and technology expert for the U.S. Air Force and private industry, ran unsuccessfully for a state House seat in 2024.
Erin Stroupe, a parent activist, is making her first run for office. She has been involved in several district issues, including a push to stop the board from giving a charter school operator land for a future high school expected to serve her community.
And Mollyana Ward, a real estate agent, is also a newcomer to election politics, though she has cited connections to several current and former officials.
District 5
The District 5 seat has the smallest number of candidates.
Incumbent Megan Harding has filed to seek what would be her third and final term. A former district elementary teacher, Harding said she wants to continue the board’s work that has led to improved student performance and district accountability.
“While I am proud of all we have accomplished together, I know there is still important work to be done,” Harding said.
Challenging her is Michelle Mandarin, an activist in the Republican Party’s “patriot wing” who unsuccessfully sought election to the district’s superintendent post two years ago.
Although all seats are drawn geographically, each is elected by voters from the entire county. And because the position is nonpartisan, any voter can participate regardless of party affiliation.
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