2012 Election Results: DFER's Hot List Fares Well

By Joe Williams, DFER’s Executive Director

Nothing could be more rewarding than seeing President Obama be reelected last night with the ardent support of the education reform community. We are so excited to see what his second term has in store.

But President Obama wasn’t alone on the ballot. Across the country, an unprecedented number of candidates ran for office with the goal of fixing our public education system. DFER was proud to support many of these leaders who were willing to fight for our students and our schools.

But that’s just a fraction of the story. With the generous support of ed reformers like you, last night brought victories for first-time candidates, targeted incumbents, and ascendant policymakers.

As you will see below, we expect this year’s Hot List candidates to go 22-for-30 in the general election.

In her first-ever campaign, Indiana’s Caitlin Hannon earned a seat on the Indianapolis School Board, where she will deliver some much-needed urgency. Millie Hamner, an irreplaceable leader in her caucus on education, was re-elected to the Colorado House. And Chris Murphy will join a small group of education reformers in the U.S. Senate, having already proven his mettle representing Connecticut’s 5th congressional district.

For the successful candidates on our Hot List, the hard work of governing will begin soon. But let’s take a moment to acknowledge their skilled and heartfelt campaigning.

Thank you for generously supporting education reform leaders both nearby and across the country.

You can download a PDF of the Hot List results by clicking here.

2012 Hot List Scorecard