BREAKING: David Dyer Enters School Board Race. Brian Barefoot Expected to Shutdown Campaign

Patriarch of Dyer empire aligns with former mosquito control candidate and LaDonna Corbin campaign manager.

Late Tuesday, David Dyer filed to run for the SDIRC School Board District 5 seat. It is expected that Brian Barefoot who entered the race for reelection will suspend his campaign.  Barefoot filed last year when DeSantis targeted him and Dr. Peggy Jones for replacement. It has been known that Barefoot and his campaign manager, Jeff Andros, have been interviewing potential candidates to take his place in this election cycle. 

Being more of a behind the scenes player and having a cozy relationship with longtime friend, Ray McNulty at Vero News / 32963, Andros managed LaDonna Corbin’s campaign to third place in the 2022 primary. Corbin ran against incumbent, Jackie Rosario, and two former teachers, Cindy Gibbs and Joshua Post. In 2020, Andros lost IRC Mosquito Control - District 1 receiving only 25% of the vote.

Dyer’s 35-year professional career saw him become the CEO of brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Land’s End. At age 74, the Vanderbilt graduate is six years younger than Barefoot, the man he is replacing on the campaign trail.

In 2022, his wife, Harriett Dyer, was the largest single contributor to the Excellence in Indian River Education PC, a political action committee put in place to promote LaDonna Corbin against DeSantis endorsed, Jacqueline Rosario, and, moderate, Teri Barenborg against Moms for Liberty endorsed, Thomas Kenny (the author of this article). 

Mrs. Dyer made the largest contribution to the PAC, a one time donation of $7000.00. The PAC raised $22,250.00 in one month, June of 2022, and proceeded to launch a $14,000 flier mailing campaign to defeat conservative candidates in the August primary. Mrs. Dyer is listed as her husband’s campaign treasurer. Expecting a challenge to island backed candidates, a new PAC, Education First in IRC was launched for the 2024 cycle.

In the right hand corner of the flier shows “Sponsored by Excellence in Indian River PC,” the political action committee of endorsed candidates of Brian Barefoot and other islanders in 2022.

In 2020, the Excellence in Indian River Education political action committee formed after Barefoot announced his initial campaign for school board. It had one donation of $300.00 made by Andros. The PAC was never funded further as Barefoot ran unopposed for most of the cycle when school board member, Tiffany Justice decided not to seek a second term just before the deadline to file. He defeated challenger, Alla Kramer, a Justice supporter, who filed after her announcement. In 2021, Justice became an advocate for parental rights and with former Brevard school board member, Tina Descovich formed Moms for Liberty. The Indian River County chapter was Moms for Liberty’s first local organization chaired by Jennifer Pippin. The organization now has 300,000 members in 49 states.  

Editor Note: In the initial report, Barefoot’s age was understood to be 82. This report has been corrected to reflect his actual age, 80 years old.