Ron Desantis-endorsed Tony Ricardo beat former public school teacher Nadine Ebri in the race for Duval School Board District 1.

He will take office on Nov. 19, succeeding Kelly Coker.

This seat was on DeSantis’ target list for school board elections, among 13 other seats across the state.

Ricardo earned 54% of the vote to Ebri’s 46%. This win comes as Duval County Public Schools grapples with declining enrollment and a tight budget that has led to a proposal to close 26 schools across Jacksonville.

District 1’s seat stretches from Arlington to the northeastern neighborhoods of Jacksonville on the other side of the St. Johns River.

Ricardo taught art at Andrew Jackson High School for six years in the 1980s before teaching for two years at New Covenant Christian Academy, a Christian private school that has since closed. He retired from teaching and owns Ricardo Designs, which makes signs and artwork for other businesses. 

Ricardo joined the race in January this year and received support from the local Republican Party and other conservative groups, including the Duval chapter of Moms for Liberty, a leading conservative group of parents.