Daniela Simic
Simic spent about 25 years in Florida public education as a teacher, district administrator and state-level leader, most recently as a Hillsborough County assistant superintendent for curriculum. She finished first in the Aug. 18, 2026 primary with 39% and advanced to the Nov. 3 runoff for the District 2 seat being vacated by Stacy Hahn. She has been endorsed by the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.
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Sources last checked 2026-07-27. Report an error ↗
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Library and classroom materials Strongly disagrees· stated position
In a Keep Florida Reading candidate questionnaire, Simic said parents have the right to guide what their own child reads and to raise concerns, but that one family should not decide for every other family. She said she supports Hillsborough's existing review committee process, in which trained educators and community members consider the whole work, and that challenges and outcomes should be posted publicly.
"Parents absolutely have the right to guide what their own child reads... At the same time, one family shouldn't automatically make that decision for every other family."
Teacher and staff pay Leans agree· stated position
At a July 2026 WUSF/Florida Trib candidate forum Simic named teacher retention the district's main challenge and tied it to compensation, workloads and restrictive policies, pointing to Florida's national ranking on teacher pay.
"We are 50th in the nation with teacher pay"
School safety approach Mixed / neutral· stated position
In her Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Simic says students should have access to mental health resources when they need them. Her campaign website also says strong leadership and clear expectations create schools where students learn accountability and respect. She does not address school policing.
"It also means making sure students have access to mental health resources when they need them."
No public position found on 4 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Taxes & spending, Property taxes, Education & school choice, Gender identity laws. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Elected superintendent — Simic opposes the November 2026 ballot measure that would make Hillsborough's superintendent an elected position, saying the job requires someone with classroom experience.
- Student testing — At a July 2026 candidate forum she said students are being assessed too frequently during the school year.
- District testing — Simic says it is time to take a hard look at how much district-level testing is required so that teachers can spend more time teaching and students more time learning.
- Staff workload and support — Simic says the district should reduce unnecessary workload, protect instructional time and build a culture where teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, bus drivers and cafeteria staff feel respected and supported.
- Transparency and communication — Simic says major district decisions should never come as a surprise and that families, employees and students deserve clear, timely communication and a chance to weigh in before decisions are made.
- Fundraising and outside ads — Had raised more than $79,000. She has been the target of mailers from unnamed 'concerned taxpayers' and the Leading For Our Future PAC and of anonymous push-poll calls; she called the claims untrue.
Endorsements (as reported)
- Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association
- Hillsborough Classroom Teachers AssociationSources: Ballotpedia candidate page (2026-09)
- Florida Education AssociationSources: Ballotpedia candidate page (2026-09)
- West Central Florida Labor Council, AFL-CIOSources: Ballotpedia candidate page (2026-09)
- Ruth's List FloridaSources: Ballotpedia candidate page (2026-09)
- Sierra Club Tampa BaySources: Ballotpedia candidate page (2026-09)
- Tampa Bay Times (editorial recommendation; published Oct. 4)
- Equality Florida Action
- Southern Poverty Law Center (as reported by the Tampa Bay Times)