MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Superintendent Tony Evers easily won a third term as Wisconsin’s top education official over an underfunded conservative opponent dogged by questions about whether he offered another candidate in the race a state job and personal driver to get out of the race.
The win keeps Evers in place as the only Democratic-backed statewide official in a meaningful office. Even though the race is officially nonpartisan, Evers had strong support from Democrats along with state and national teachers’ unions who favored his positions in support of increased funding for public schools and opposition to private school vouchers.
Evers defeated Lowell Holtz 70 percent to 30 percent, based on unofficial results. Turnout was nearly 16 percent.
“A lot of people decided to be pro-public schools,” Evers said, saying the big win was not a mandate. “I think people want to stand up for their public schools and this is one way to do it.”
While Evers pledged to stand up for what he called progressive issues, like keeping guns out of classrooms and supporting transgender rights, he said his wide election win showed that Republicans also supported him.
“I’ve been somebody that has reached out to Republicans and had some success with this governor,” Evers said. “I think there are Republicans who are supporting me out there. They may not want to say it out loud.”
Holtz’s candidacy never got off the ground as he struggled with low fundraising, accusations that he tried to bribe another candidate, questions about his work history and whether he broke state law by sending campaign-related emails from his Whitnall schools account where he worked as superintendent before retiring last year.
Holtz said in a statement that he was grateful the campaign gave him a chance to “raise serious issues regarding the condition of education in Wisconsin” and he hoped his candidacy “broadened the way people view education reform.”
Holtz had argued that Evers was failing because Wisconsin’s achievement gap between white and African American students is the worst in the nation based on many measures.
“I’m not going to walk around with rose-colored glasses if we’re failing generations of African-American kids,” Holtz told reporters after his loss.
Evers argued some improvements have been made in closing the gap, while more work needs to be done.
Evers, 65, will continue running the state Department of Public Instruction, which administers K-12 education policy, curriculum and programs, as well as state and federal aid for all of Wisconsin’s 424 public school districts.
Evers and Holtz disagreed on almost every major issue that’s come up in the campaign. Evers opposes expanding the private school choice program and supports Common Core academic standards, increasing funding for public schools and addressing teacher shortages across the state.
Holtz wanted to repeal Common Core standards and create a new test not linked to them, and he supports the choice program.
Both candidates supported Walker’s budget sending $650 million more to schools. But they disagreed on Walker’s requirement that the bulk of that money be tied to schools that require employees to pay at least 12 percent of their health care costs. Evers opposes the provision, while Holtz backs it.
Holtz had to deal with questions about a conversation he had with a former candidate in the race who alleged that he offered him a six-figure state job, a driver and broad authority to take over the state’s five largest districts if he dropped his candidacy.
Holtz denied that he offered a bribe and the state Elections Commission said he had not broken the law. A liberal advocacy group also asked district attorneys to investigate campaign-related emails Holtz sent on his Whitnall school account while he still worked for the district.
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