Bradley seeks Duval school board District 2 seat Nov. 3

Donovan Bradley, 26, is running for Duval County Public School Board District 2 in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Donna Westrich in the nonpartisan runoff after receiving 49.0% of the vote, or 11,697 votes, in the Aug. 18 primary.

Asked why he is running, Bradley said in our candidate questionnaire: "I'm running for the Duval County School Board because I'm a proud graduate of Duval County Public Schools, and I want our school district to focus more on promoting vocational education and apprentice programs so that every student to have the opportunity to succeed."

He added: "I'll work to expand Career and Technical Education, reduce the overreliance on technology in our elementary classrooms, support teachers with competitive pay, and ensure taxpayers have greater transparency in how school dollars are spent."

Candidate information

Residence: Bradley described himself as "a conservative and a third-generation Duval County native" in our candidate questionnaire. He said he was "born in Jacksonville Beach, Florida" and a "lifelong resident of the district," according to Florida Politics.

Family: In our questionnaire, Bradley said: "I am happily married to my wife Noelle, and we are expecting our first child next spring. I am also the oldest of three siblings, and was raised by a single mother who has been a teacher in Duval County Public Schools since 1996."

Education: Bradley said in our questionnaire: "Every bit of my K–12 education was right here in Duval County Public Schools. I attended Alimacani and Abess Elementary, Mayport Middle School, and Duncan U. Fletcher High School." He said he earned "my Associate's Degree from Florida State College at Jacksonville and my Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Florida." Florida Politics reported his bachelor's degree was in political science.

Party affiliation: Bradley said in our questionnaire: "Though this race is technically non-partisan, I am a registered Republican. More importantly, I am a conservative and a third-generation Duval County native who believes public service should be about putting our community first."

Experience and public service

Bradley described his work history in our questionnaire: "I am a policy analyst for a local nonprofit, where I review contracts and legislation at the state and federal levels, with a strong focus on education policy. Previously, I worked in the Florida House of Representatives as a Legislative Aide, helping develop and advance legislation for Duval County lawmakers."

He also served as executive director of the Republican Party of Duval County from 2021 to 2023, according to Florida Politics.

Asked about previous public office, Bradley said in our questionnaire: "I have never run or held elected office before. Since September of 2025, I have served as a member of the Duval County Election Advisory Committee after being unanimously approved by both Republican and Democrat members of the Jacksonville City Council."

On the issues

What sets him apart: Bradley said in our questionnaire: "What sets me apart is that I have actually come up through the Duval County Public School system and experienced firsthand how policy decisions can negatively impact students."

Accomplishments: Asked to cite evidence he can handle the job, Bradley said in our questionnaire: "I helped write several pieces of legislation during my tenure as a legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives … That experience has reinforced my belief that we need to do more to connect Duval County students with opportunities in high-demand fields through an expanded Career and Technical Education program in our public schools."

Endorsements

Bradley has claimed endorsements from Jessica Baker, Kiyan Michael, Wyman Duggan and Dean Black, according to iVoterGuide. The Florida Trib reported endorsements from the following: