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Douglas has narrow lead over Garcia in race for superintendent of public instruction

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Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014
By Emilie Eaton
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Early results show that Republican Diane Douglas with a narrow lead over Democrat David Garcia in the race for state superintendent of public instruction.

The lead is a bit surprising after Garcia won the endorsement of the usually conservative Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is the first Democrat to receive the group’s endorsement for statewide office since 2006

Douglas is a former school board member and tea party candidate who contends that Arizona’s version of the Common Core State Standards for Education need to be repealed. She defeated embattled Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal in the GOP primary.

Garcia, a professor at Arizona State University and former associate superintendent for assessments and accountability at the state Department of Education, has said schools that implement Advanced Placement courses should be rewarded.