Nathan-Heiss defeats Caro in education race; conceding candidate stresses commitment to public service
In the election for Contra Costa County Board of Education’s Area 1 seat, Daniel Nathan-Heiss claimed victory over Anthony Caro. With all 143 precincts reporting, Nathan-Heiss received 33,989 votes (59.51 percent), while Caro finished with 23,121 votes (40.49 percent).
Caro, a community organizer, and United States Army veteran released a heartfelt concession message ahead of Veterans Day, calling for unity and continued commitment to public service.
“Whether it is service to nature, your country, your community, your family, or your soul, I believe we all have a duty to be of service,” Caro said. He urged supporters to find encouragement, not disappointment, in the election results. He emphasized that the campaign had never been solely about winning a seat but creating lasting opportunities to advance student success.
Caro said his election loss was not without its wins. “This year, I did not ask but was instead asked to run for the Contra Costa County Board of Education. Though we lost in votes, we won in opportunity,” Caro said.
Caro highlighted his campaign’s achievements, including building a coalition of parents, students, teachers, labor partners, and elected officials committed to educational improvement. The California Teachers Association, California Democratic Party, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond endorsed Caro.
“We won a large database of volunteers willing to continue to give their time towards the cause of student success. We won by informing parents of the many ways local government can be used to improve their child’s school experience. We won by exciting dozens of students on how they can turn dissatisfaction into action,” Caro said.
Nathan-Heiss expressed gratitude for the community’s support, commending Caro’s campaign. “My opponent ran a great campaign, and I wish him well in the future,” Nathan-Heiss said. His focus remains on delivering meaningful improvements in the county’s education system, promising to prioritize what is best for students.
“I am so deeply honored and humbled that more than 30,000 of my neighbors have put their trust in me to play a role in shaping the future of Contra Costa County public education. I plan to be laser-focused on what is best for kids,” Nathan-Heiss said.
Nathan-Heiss, a Richmond Annex resident, initially pursued a seat on the Richmond City Council but dropped out of the District 5 race after Ahmad Anderson joined it.
Linda Hemmila
A native of Southern California, Nathan-Heiss moved to Richmond with his wife in 2020 and sought ways to serve his community, joining the Economic Development Commission. He began his city government experience as a member of the Los Angeles Mayor's Crisis Response Team, a role that required 12 weeks of extensive training in crisis care, intervention, and learning to work in collaboration with city departments.
Nathan-Heiss said his role was to provide support and resources to survivors of traumatic events and help put them on a path to recovery. Following his work on the CRT team, Nathan-Heiss spent the next 10 years working for non-profits, first, as a fundraiser for the University of California, and later as a senior consultant for an international fundraising firm.
Contra Costa County Board Supervisor John Gioia said Caro filed a lawsuit to challenge Nathan-Heiss’ ballot designation as an educator but served as his own attorney.
“His lawsuit failed to seek an expedited hearing before ballots were printed so he never got the opportunity to argue the case in court,” Gioia said. “Based on what I’ve publicly read, he may have stood a good chance to have the court change his designation. I understand he called himself an educator based on the fact that he is an educational software salesperson.”
For Caro, the loss will not deter his commitment to Contra Costa County’s youth. He emphasized, “Stege Elementary School still needs to be rebuilt, teacher workforce housing still needs to be implemented, and our academic programs still need to be revitalized.” Caro said that his path forward remains clear—serving students, regardless of official titles, will continue to be his mission.
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