News

Republicans sweep School Board race

By Amy McCraw, Published: November 6, 2024

Republicans swept all four open seats on Henderson County’s School Board Tuesday night, according to unofficial results from the county’s Board of Elections.

With 34 of 35 precincts reporting, Amy Lynn Holt emerged as the top vote-getter with 38,180 votes or 15.35 percent. Incumbent Kathy G. Revis came in second with 37,176 votes or 14.95 percent of the vote, followed closely by fellow incumbent Robert M. Bridges with 35,829 votes, or 14.41 percent, and newcomer Beth Campbell with 35,475 votes or 14.27 percent.
Democratic candidates were Mary Ellen Kustin, Lesley Carey, Rhonda Mountain and Josh Williams.
Holt, 51, is a community outreach and major gifts officer for the family’s Champion Comfort Experts. She and her husband, Ritch Holt, have four children: Kyle, Christian, Connor and Aliyah Faith. A graduate of Miami Dade College, Holt enjoys reading, flower farming and arranging, nonprofit volunteering, Aliyah Faith’s gymnastic competitions and spending time with granddaughters Elle, Charlotte and Aurora.
In response to questions from the Lightning before Tuesday’s election, Holt said she was looking forward to serving another term on the School Board. “I served on the School Board for three terms (2010-2022). I did not run for reelection and my last term ended in December of 2022,” she said. “Since that time, I have missed it tremendously. We have a fantastic school system. I really want to continue to be involved to be a voice for parents, teachers and students. I still feel like there is a lot more work to be done and my job is not over yet.”
Revis, 67, earned a second term on the School Board and is currently vice chair. An educator for more than 40 years, she was a teacher and principal before serving as the school system as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for 17 years. She has an undergraduate degree in secondary math and earned a doctorate in educational leadership. She and her husband, Ken, have a son, Garrett, and three grandchildren.
“I’m very happy the voters have confidence in me to serve again,” she said Tuesday night after learning she had earned another term on the board.
She said she was ready continue her work for the students of Henderson County.
“I think one of our top priorities is to restore the public’s trust and faith in public schools by being transparent in our work and encouraging open and honest dialogue with staff, parents and community members,” she said in a text message.
In response to questions from the Lightning before the election, Revis said she ran for School Board because her experiences in education prepared her for service on the board. “I want to continue to contribute to our educational system and to serve our school community,” she said. “We have a strong school system, but we can always look for ways to grow and improve to provide the best education possible for our students and families. I believe I can view issues from different perspectives and work well with others to find positive solutions.”
Bridges, 78, is retired from Henderson County schools with more than 30 years’ experience as a teacher, assistant principal and guidance counselor. He and his wife, Norma, have a son, Michael, and two granddaughters, Bella and Gabby. He has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s in guidance counseling. Hobbies include woodworking, carpentry, serving God and the members of his church and community.
Bridges on Tuesday night thanked the voters of Henderson County and the members of the Republican Men and Women’s clubs for their support. He said he wanted to work in his second term on the board addressing the problems of cell phones and vaping in schools. The school system will also eventually have to address the county’s growing population by looking at expanding the school system. Increasing the school system’s ranking in the state is also important, he said.
Attempts to reach Holt and Campbell on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Campbell, the mother of three daughters in Henderson County schools, has been a volunteer throughout their education.

"I have been able to work within the schools on many different projects," she said in a candidate forum in January. "I’ve been very active in our PTO for many years. I believe every student has the right to a quality education. Our teachers should absolutely be supported in everything that they do."