A former New College of Florida trustee who left the board after being denied confirmation by the state Senate has launched a congressional campaign.
Eddie Speir filed paperwork Monday to enter the 2024 race in Congressional District 16 in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Speir’s candidacy sets up a Republican primary against U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan.
Speir criticized the incumbent in a lengthy Twitter post as he announced his run. “I have heard Vern Buchanan is a statesman for (the) Republican Party, but he appears to be more of a statesman for the status quo. We need more,” Speir wrote.
Jan Schneider, a Democrat, also is running for the seat.
Gov. Ron DeSantis in January appointed Speir, a founder of a private Christian school in Bradenton, as a New College trustee. Speir was part of a slate of six trustees appointed by DeSantis to try to overhaul the small liberal-arts college in Sarasota.
While the Senate last month confirmed other members of the New College board, it did not give approval to Speir. DeSantis subsequently appointed Joe Jacquot, a former general counsel to the governor, to serve as a trustee.
