The Florida Board of Governors rejected a candidate’s bid to lead the University of Florida over his past statements and actions heading other major universities.

A spokesperson for the State University System of Florida confirmed with Fox News Digital that the board voted 10 to 6 against the confirmation of Dr. Santa Ono as president of the University of Florida. 

The Board of Governors serves as the governing body for the state’s 12 public universities. 

Ono, an immunologist, was the only finalist that the UF Board of Trustees considered. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, Ono pledged to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in his opening statement before his unanimous confirmation vote last month.

“I support fully the decision to end DEI,” Ono said, adding, “I’m here to ensure DEI never returns to the University of Florida. Science will lead, not ideology. I want to come to Florida, not to slow reform, but to accelerate it. Public universities exist to educate, not indoctrinate.”

ELITE SCHOOLS ORGANIZE GROUP TO OPPOSE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AS BATTLE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING ESCALATES

However, despite Ono’s efforts to distance himself from DEI, the leading candidate for the position faced tough questioning from the Board over his past leadership. Ono was grilled about his views on antisemitism, past support of DEI programs, and the rampant anti-Israel demonstrations that occurred during his nearly three years as president of the University of Michigan.

Chris Rufo, the conservative reformer from the Manhattan Institute and trustee at the New College of Florida, was one of Ono’s major critics.

A spokesperson for the State University System of Florida confirmed the board voted 10 to 6 against the confirmation of Dr. Santa Ono as president. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)  (Getty Images)

FLORIDA EDUCATORS FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT CHALLENGING STATE LAW UPENDING DEI POLICIES

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., praised the Board of Governors’ decision to block Ono’s confirmation. Steube penned a letter calling for the Board to reject Ono’s bid in order for the officials to “find a suitable replacement who truly represents Florida values.” 

Another critic of Ono was Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., citing a “concerning record from his time at the University of Michigan, where he allowed an illegal, pro-terrorist encampment to take over the campus for nearly a month, putting Jewish students in danger and failing to uphold even the most basic standards of leadership.”

STEFANIK LOOKS BACK TO FIERY EXCHANGES WITH COLLEGE LEADERS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING: ‘WATERSHED MOMENT’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

The Board of Governor’s decision came amid the push by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to reshape education in the Sunshine State by combating woke ideology.

Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL who indicated that his anti-human trafficking organization works to train law enforcement and set up operations that lead to the arrest of those seeking to “buy or sell kids for sex,” is running for U.S. Senate.

“That is our primary goal,” Hudson, who founded Covenant Rescue Group with his wife, told Fox News Digital during an interview on Monday, noting that he maintains his law enforcement credentials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and that the nonprofit is also involved in training authorities about targeting people who traffick adults for sex.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., announced a gubernatorial bid, leaving the Yellowhammer State’s upcoming 2026 Senate contest wide open.

In a post on X, Hudson declared that he is “running for U.S. Senate in Alabama to help secure the border, crush the woke agenda, and defend our Christian values.”

FORMER NAVY SEAL MOUNTS SENATE BID TO ‘CRUSH THE WOKE AGENDA’ AS TUBERVILLE SEEKS GOVERNORSHIP

Republicans are currently divided over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that cleared the House chamber last month. When asked whether he would vote for the measure if he were in the U.S. Senate now, Hudson indicated that, based on what he knows about it, he would support passage in order to avoid tax rate increases due to the expiration of the “Trump tax cuts.”

Fox News Digital also asked Hudson about his positions on U.S. aid to Ukraine and Israel, and whether he believes America should remain in NATO.

“I’m not for any new unnecessary wars,” he said, after noting that he has gone to war for the U.S., lost friends and shot people on America’s behalf. “I am for whatever is gonna increase national security,” he said, noting that “if that means positively supportin’ some of our allies, absolutely.”

TRUMP ALLY TUBERVILLE ANNOUNCES RUN FOR ALABAMA GOVERNOR

Former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson has U.S. Senate aspirations. (Jared Hudson)

He said that U.S. involvement with NATO is not a problem but indicated that the issue concerning NATO is the matter of whether America is being treated fairly. He indicated other nations in the alliance should do their part and America should not shoulder the “full burden.” 

“I think we should remove as much government out of people’s lives as possible,” he said when asked if there are any federal entities he believes should be abolished, describing “decreasing the size of government” as “vitally important.”

House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., has spoken highly of Hudson.

HOUSE REP. ELI CRANE SAYS THERAPY DOGS SHOULD BE MANDATORY AT HEARINGS AFTER JOKE ABOUT DEMS’ MENTAL STABILITY

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last votes of the week on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Really glad to see men like Jared jumping into one of the toughest fights on earth. I served with Jared at Team 3. He is a very good man, who loves the Lord and his family,” Crane noted in a post on X.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, has also thrown his hat into the ring in the U.S. Senate race.

The state’s gubernatorial and U.S. Senate contests will take place in 2026.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia (R) is continuing to pave the way in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, launching yet another healthy initiative.

In an appearance on “Fox & Friends First” on Wednesday morning, the governor discussed West Virginia Health Right’s mobile teaching kitchens.

The nonprofit “clinics on wheels” will travel across the state to demonstrate healthy cooking tips, share nutrition information with residents and conduct health exams such as blood pressure readings and body mass index checks. 

EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT MAHA

The governor opened his home, inviting West Virginians to the mansion to allow families to see how to practice healthy habits on their own. 

“People came by and learned that you can eat very [healthily] for a very reasonable price,” he said. 

“And it’s not that hard to cook [this food] and have it taste really good as well,” he added.

West Virginia has the highest childhood obesity rate in America, at over 42%. 

That’s according to the State of Childhood Obesity organization. 

“Here in West Virginia, we’re trying to make West Virginia healthy again,” Morrisey said. 

“Because unfortunately, we’ve led the way [on] a lot of the disease states that have really hurt our state, whether obesity or diabetes or stroke or many other items.”

He added, “We want to make sure that we reverse those bad trends and you have to start one step at a time or one good bite at a time.”

Morrisey shared that the program is just another step in his four MAHA pillars for the Mountain State.

In the state of West Virginia, “clinics on wheels” will travel to residents to demonstrate healthy cooking, share nutrition information and conduct health exams. Above, Gov. Morrisey with HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

The state has defined the pillars as the following: clean up the food; find purpose, find health, move your body; change your life; and reward healthy choices.

“We’ve encouraged people to get out and exercise and I’m trying to lead by example, you know, every day trying to walk over 10,000 steps and just encourage people to go out and walk,” said Morrisey in part. 

The state plans to designate official “Mountaineer Mile trails” in its 32 state parks that have hiking trails.

Gov. Morrisey of West Virginia has created four MAHA pillars: clean up the food; find purpose, find health, move your body; change your life; and reward healthy choices. (@MorriseyWV)

“We’re getting a lot of traction with our Mountaineer Mile, and everyone knows the importance of getting out and working and walking,” Morrisey previously told Fox News Digital. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle

“That’s really starting to gain a lot of strength in West Virginia.”

Getting Americans healthy again requires a multipronged approach to reducing rates of obesity, diabetes, stroke and congestive heart failure, according to the governor.

“You’re taking the crap out of the food, you’re incentivizing people to eat good food … making sure people are working and have purposeful lives, and then we’re also encouraging people to go out and exercise,” Morrisey previously told Fox News Digital.