Camden Bedinghaus is running for Manatee County School Board District 5 in the Nov. 3 general election. The nonpartisan race pits Bedinghaus against Jonathan Mullis.

Asked why he is running, Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire: "I am running for School Board because I believe Manatee County students deserve an education that prepares them not only to graduate, but to succeed in life. As someone who recently went through our local schools, I have seen both what works and where students can be better served."

Candidate information

Age: 23

Party affiliation: "Republican," Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire. The school board race is nonpartisan.

Residence: Lifelong Manatee County resident, according to My Suncoast.

Education: "I earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics, Cum Laude, from the University of South Florida," Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire. "My education in economics gave me a strong foundation in critical thinking, statistics, incentives, public policy, and financial decision-making."

Family: "I am one of six siblings, three of whom are currently students, giving me a firsthand connection to the experiences families and students are having in school today," Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire. "My grandparents were also teachers in the Manatee County School District, so education has been an important part of my family and my connection to this community."

Occupation: "I am an Anchor and Journalist with Coastal Conservative News, where I cover local and state politics, conduct interviews, and report on issues affecting Floridians," Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire. "Before entering journalism, I worked as a Medical Technician at Vision Source, where I gained experience working directly with patients and serving people in my community."

Primary results: Bedinghaus finished second in the August 2026 primary with 34.07% of the vote (6,787 of 19,922 cast), advancing to the runoff against Mullis, who finished first with 35.31%, according to My Suncoast. Bedinghaus is running to replace Richard Tatem, the District 5 vice-chair who is not seeking reelection, according to WUSF.

Ballot qualification: Bedinghaus was the only District 5 candidate to qualify by petition rather than paying the roughly $2,000 fee, obtaining signatures from at least 1% of registered voters in the district, according to WUSF.

Experience and public service

Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire: "I previously served as a Campus Council Representative at the University of South Florida. In that role, I represented fellow students and participated in student government and campus affairs, allocating a multi-million dollar budget."

He is listed as director of Turning Point USA Manatee County, according to BallotReady. He has also served as a youth coordinator at Bayside Community Church and a guest speaker at Fellowship of Christian Athletes, according to My Suncoast.

On the issues

Literacy: Asked about his first priority, Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire: "My first priority would be addressing the literacy crisis. Right now, almost half of the students in our district cannot read at grade level. … I would push for an aggressive focus on early literacy and accountability for student progress. … That's why I will declare a Reading Emergency on day one and treat this as the crisis that it is."

Real-world skills: Asked what he would improve from his own experience as a Manatee County student, Bedinghaus said in our questionnaire: "I would put a greater emphasis on practical, real-world skills. Students spend years preparing for tests and completing academic assignments, but many graduate without knowing how to manage a budget, write a check, understand basic taxes, or handle other everyday responsibilities. … Financial literacy and home economics should have a meaningful place in education, alongside career preparation and other practical skills."

Transparency: Bedinghaus said he wants to create a transparency portal showing parents lesson plans, how instructional time is allocated and what supplemental programs are being used, accessible via a phone dashboard, according to WUSF.

Endorsements: Stand for Health Freedom, Manatee Patriots and America First Party of Florida have endorsed Bedinghaus, according to WUSF.

The general election is Nov. 3.