ELECTIONS

Tony Evers sails into third term as Wisconsin education chief

Annysa Johnson

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers sailed into a third term on Tuesday, easily defeating challenger Lowell Holtz to hang on to his post as the state's top educator.

With most of the votes counted, Evers led with 70% to 30% for Holtz.

Evers said he was surprised by the margin, but believes his positive campaign resonated with parents and public school advocates at the local level, in contrast with Holtz's focus on the schools' deficiencies.

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"Our message was positive, and that's what people feel about their schools. I think that carried the day," Evers said in a telephone interview.

"Do we have problems in this state? Yes, we do. But we can solve them," he told supporters earlier in the evening. "The fact of the matter is that his view of the world is different from mine. And mine won."

A school choice advocate, Holtz said he had an obligation as a candidate to address the problems of failing schools head-on.

"I really hope we raised issues and awareness so parents understand that they don't ever have to put up with failing schools," said Holtz, who had served as superintendent in the Beloit and Whitnall school districts before retiring last year.

"I really do wish Dr. Evers well in his new term. I hope I broadened the way people look at education reform and that they work with Tony to get things done."

The victory positions Evers to proceed with an agenda that calls for increasing public school funding by more than $700 million. And it appears to be a rejection of Holtz's proposals to abandon the Common Core standards and expand taxpayer funded vouchers for private schools.

Holtz had been dogged by ethical questions throughout the race, including accusations of nepotism, campaigning on work time, and an alleged scheming to land a lucrative state job with a driver and authority to dismantle the state's five largest school districts.

Evers outpaced Holtz in fundraising by almost 4 to 1, taking in more than $373,000 in 2017 alone from his traditional base that included Democrats and organized labor. Holtz raised about $98,000 this year, primarily from Republican organizations, lawmakers and business leaders, but he failed to attract the outside donors many believed would be drawn to his conservative and pro-school-choice agenda.

It was Holtz's second unsuccessful attempt to land the statewide seat. He came in last in a five-way primary in 2009 with just 9% of the vote.

A staunch public schools advocate, Evers was first elected in 2009 after serving eight years as a deputy superintendent under Elizabeth Burmaster.

Evers and Holtz had sparred on a number of fronts, including school choice; Common Core; and Act 10, the 2011 law that all but eliminated collective bargaining for public employees

Holtz had argued that Evers has done little to move the needle on Wisconsin students' academic performance and closing achievement gaps, particularly between black and white students.

Evers maintained that Wisconsin schools have raised standards, increased graduation rates and expanded career and technical education programs during his tenure. He characterized Holtz as a political opportunist who would expand the state's voucher program at the expense of public schools and shepherd in the massive cuts proposed by President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that would eliminate before- and after-school programs, teacher training grants and a host of other programs that benefit Wisconsin students.

A Plymouth native, Evers, 65, worked as a teacher and principal before joining the Department of Public Instruction. Holtz, 59, worked as a parochial school teacher, police officer and principal, and has served as superintendent in the Whitnall and Beloit school districts.