By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
Princeton — In one of Collin County’s few contested local elections this fall, voters in the Princeton Independent School District signaled they were ready for change on the Board of Trustees. Former Princeton teacher Sonia Ledezma led the seven-candidate field with nearly a quarter of all votes cast, followed by incumbent John Campbell, with Melissa Ait Belaid and Julia Schmoker, the board’s sitting Secretary, close behind.
The outcome keeps Campbell on the board but ends Schmoker’s tenure, marking a shift for a district whose leadership had long leaned on established conservative networks. Both Campbell and Schmoker were endorsed by the Collin County Republican Party and U.S. Rep. Keith Self (R-TX-03) through GOP mailers and Self’s district outreach. Self’s backing gave the ticket visibility but produced mixed results; his preferred candidates in both Princeton and McKinney’s mayoral race came up short of sweeping victories, underscoring how partisan ties can cut both ways in officially nonpartisan contests.
A Grassroots Campaign Finds Its Voice
Ledezma, a certified bilingual educator and former Princeton ISD teacher, brought more than a decade of classroom experience to her first campaign. She holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (EC–6) from Texas A&M University–Commerce and a Master’s in Counseling focused on student affairs. Her platform emphasized student success, teacher support, and transparent decision-making, building on years of volunteer work through the district’s Site-Based Improvement Committee, youth coaching, and community service with The Samaritan Inn.
Her campaign leaned on bilingual outreach, neighborhood meetings, and parent-to-parent organizing rather than traditional advertising. “Our district is at a pivotal moment,” Ledezma said. “Families, teachers, and students are asking for leadership that listens and communicates clearly.” That approach resonated across new neighborhoods and among first-time voters, helping her outperform two incumbents with broader name recognition.
Incumbents and a Changing Voter Mood
Incumbents John Campbell and Julia Schmoker campaigned on experience and stability as Princeton ISD continued to grow, adding more than 2,300 students since 2023-24. Campbell, who describes himself as an “Independent Conservative,” emphasized fiscal management and long-term planning. Schmoker, the board’s Secretary, leaned directly into her conservative credentials, framing herself as the Republican choice in the officially nonpartisan race. Her campaign materials and public posts repeatedly highlighted her endorsements from the Collin County GOP and Rep. Self, calling herself “the conservative candidate” and urging Republican voters to “stand with values-driven leadership.”
In the final week before the election, Schmoker used her Facebook page to address a wave of public questions and speculation. She confirmed receiving a contribution from Dallas businessman Monty Bennett, a major Republican donor, but said they had “never met or spoken” and that Princeton ISD “hasn’t paid him a dime.” She also dismissed rumors of conflicts of interest, clarifying that her husband, a residential realtor and ASVAB subject-matter expert, had “no connection to charter-school land deals.” In that same post, she acknowledged being “the conservative candidate endorsed by the Republican Party,” presenting her run as a clear ideological choice for voters.
Both incumbents had been endorsed by the county GOP and Rep. Self—the same backing that helped them win in 2022, when Schmoker led with 2,628 votes (30.6 %) and Campbell followed with 2,281 (26.6 %) out of 8,585 votes cast.
In 2025, with 5,770 votes cast, the order reversed. Sonia Ledezma finished first with 1,431 (24.8 %), Campbell held second with 1,208 (20.9 %), and Schmoker—once the top vote-getter—fell to fourth with 1,077 (18.7 %). Both incumbents lost more than a thousand votes compared with 2022, while Ledezma, a first-time candidate without party backing, topped the field.
The result suggests that Princeton’s electorate, now younger and more diverse, responded less to partisan framing and more to personal accessibility and classroom experience. In a community where many new residents are still forming local political ties, ideological branding may have narrowed rather than expanded a candidate’s base.
Growth, Turnout, and What Comes Next
Princeton’s growth continues to reshape local politics. Once a small rural district, it now ranks among Collin County’s fastest-expanding communities, with a growing majority-Hispanic student body (39.79% Hispanic, the largest demographic group) and hundreds of new families arriving each year. Many brought expectations for bilingual communication, special-education support, and more open decision-making—issues that dominated this campaign and drew first-time voters.
Although the race was officially nonpartisan, party activity was hard to miss. The Collin County GOP and Rep. Self publicly promoted the Campbell–Schmoker ticket as the conservative choice, linking the race to broader Republican messaging. Melissa Ait Belaid, who identifies as a Democrat, drew promotion from local Democratic activists and clubs. The imbalance reflected a familiar dynamic in Collin County politics—organized Republican infrastructure versus quieter, more diffuse Democratic engagement in down-ballot races.
The 2025 race reaffirmed that Princeton voters respond less to partisanship than to approachability and trust—choosing a mix of experience and new perspective to guide one of Collin County’s fastest-changing districts.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to clarify the canvassing process for PISD trustee elections. While Collin County Elections oversees tabulation and reporting, the official canvass of results is conducted by the PISD Board of Trustees, not the Collin County Commissioners Court.