Erica Whitfield’s bid to jump from the Palm Beach County School Board to the County Commission next year is picking up steam with a big influx of backers and a team of seasoned, proven campaign strategists.
Just a month after entering the race for the County Commission’s District 2 seat, Whitfield has added 22 notable nods from current and former public servants.
They include Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman; state Sens. Mack Bernard and Tina Polksy; state Reps. Tae Edmonds and Kelly Skidmore; Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon; Palm Beach County Commissioner Bobby Powell; Palm Beach County School Board members Marcia Andrews and Edwin Ferguson; Palm Beach Council President Bobbie Lindsay; Lake Worth Beach Mayor Betty Resch; Greenacres Mayor Chuck Shaw; Greenacres Deputy Mayor Suzy Diaz; Lake Worth Beach Vice Mayor Sarah Malega; West Palm Beach Commissioner Christina Lambert; and Lake Worth Beach Commissioners Mimi May and Anthony Segrich.
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, former School Board members Frank Barbieri and Debra Robinson, former West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio and former Boynton Beach Commissioner Christina Romelus are backing Whitfield too.
“I am humbled and energized by the incredible support our campaign is receiving,” Whitfield said in a statement.
“We are building a campaign that is reflective of our community’s strength and diversity, and I am confident that together, we will succeed.”
Whitfield’s campaign team also includes some top names in behind-the-scenes South Florida politicking, including Rick Asnani of Cornerstone Solutions, Eric Johnson of Mercury and Christian Ulvert of EDGE Communications.
Whitfield, a 47-year-old Lake Worth Beach Democrat, has served as a School Board member since 2014. During her tenure, she developed a reputation as a vocal advocate for student health and safety, fiscal transparency and long-term planning, earning praise for her role in helping the district earn and maintain an “A” rating from the Florida Department of Education.
Before she won her School Board seat, she worked in public health at the Palm Beach County Health Department, led wellness initiatives for the school district’s food services department and managed policy-focused grants aimed at improving childhood health outcomes.
Her platform for the County Commission race includes:
— Lowering costs through improved budget efficiency and transparency.
— Expanding affordable housing in partnership with public and private entities.
— Supporting public safety by investing in training, equipment and emergency preparedness.
— Modernizing infrastructure through upgraded parks, airport facilities and “workforce development aligned with local university and business growth.”
— Improving transportation through greenways, bike paths and a potential referendum for funding additional mobility provisions.
She is currently running unopposed to succeed Commissioner Gregg Weiss in District 2, which spans all or parts of Atlantis, Boynton Beach, Haverhill, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach, and a central portion of unincorporated Palm Beach County.
The 2026 Primary is Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.
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