School Reopening Mess Drives Frustrated Parents Toward GOP

Seeing their children struggle in virtual classrooms, a group of right leaning parents into running for education positions and pushing for in person learning

Watching her daughter fall behind in virtual kindergarten, Ms. Loughran had grown so frustrated not knowing when her children would return to the classroom that she joined a group that attracted right-leaning parents in its school-reopening push. She was unhappy that Gov. Phil Murphy didn’t fight to reopen schools sooner, and she associated his fellow Democrats with mask mandates and restrictions.

She hasn’t decided which party to pick this fall in her local House race, a contest expected to help determine control of Congress. "What I do know," she said, "is that my party-line vote shouldn’t be taken for granted anymore."