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Richard Corcoran


Richard M. Corcoran (born March 16, 1965) is an American attorney, politician, and academic administrator serving as president of since January 2023. A native of , after moving there as a child, Corcoran earned a bachelor's degree from and a from the , later practicing law for nearly two decades before entering politics. Elected to the in 2010, Corcoran rose to in November 2016, leading until term limits ended his legislative service in 2018; during this period, he spearheaded Florida's most comprehensive and , including measures to enhance and curb influence. In December 2018, Governor appointed him as Florida's 27th Commissioner of Education, a role he held until resigning in April 2022 to pursue other opportunities, overseeing policies emphasizing , accountability, and resistance to federal overreach in standards. Subsequently appointed to the Board of Governors for Florida's , Corcoran's tenure as New College has focused on restructuring amid ideological debates, including realignments and changes that have drawn opposition and scrutiny from outlets critical of conservative reforms in higher education.

Early life and education

Upbringing and family influences

Richard Corcoran was born in 1965 in , , where his father worked for the U.S. State Department. His mother, a British expatriate born in , , to parents who managed a tea plantation, and his father both grew up during the and served in . These experiences shaped their emphasis on , duty, and , values they actively instilled in Corcoran from an early age. In 1976, when Corcoran was 11, his family relocated to , marking the beginning of his American upbringing in a rural, working-class environment. His mother's background influenced family dynamics, as she discouraged contact sports like due to his small stature and instead promoted competitive activities such as , reflecting her own athletic history that included qualifying for Junior . This focus on individual achievement and discipline complemented the parental lessons in and civic responsibility drawn from their wartime service, fostering Corcoran's early interest in conservative principles and .

Academic and early professional background

Corcoran graduated from in , after his family relocated there when he was eleven years old. He briefly enrolled at the before withdrawing to attend St. Leo College, a Catholic liberal arts institution near his home, where he earned a in international studies in 1989. While in college, Corcoran served in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1987 to 1993, reaching the enlisted rank of E-4. He then pursued legal education at in , obtaining a in 1996. After completing , Corcoran entered private practice as an attorney in , specializing in areas including law. From 1999 to 2004, he served as a partner at Corcoran & Corcoran, P.A., representing clients in criminal and civil matters, drafting legal documents, and appearing in court proceedings. By the early 2000s, he had accumulated nearly two decades of bar admission and practice experience in the state, focusing on litigation and advisory roles outside of elected positions.

Initial political roles

Chief of Staff to Marco Rubio (2006–2010)

Richard Corcoran was appointed and to upon Rubio's election as Speaker of the in November 2006. In this role, Corcoran oversaw administrative and operational functions of the Speaker's office, drawing on his prior experience as a strategist involved in House campaigns. His annual salary of $175,000 exceeded that of many senior legislative staff and reflected the premium placed on his political expertise amid Rubio's push for GOP priorities. Corcoran's tenure, spanning late 2006 to early 2007, coincided with heightened expenditures, during which he charged over $50,000 on state GOP-issued credit cards for various operational costs, part of a broader pattern under Rubio's leadership that later faced public scrutiny for lavish spending. In March 2007, Corcoran resigned from the position to pursue his own candidacy for the , citing frustrations with behind-the-scenes legislative dynamics and a desire for direct electoral involvement. This move marked the end of his formal duties, though his association with Rubio bolstered his profile within circles leading into Rubio's 2010 U.S. .

Legislative career in Florida House

Elections and early tenure (2010–2016)

Corcoran was elected to the in the 2010 Republican primary for District 45, defeating Pasco County School Board member Kathryn Starkey and attorney Fabian Calvo on August 24, 2010. In Pasco County results, Corcoran received 3,010 votes to Starkey's 2,416 and Calvo's 1,259, securing 42.8% of the vote. His primary victory in the Republican-leaning district effectively guaranteed success in the November general election, where he faced no significant Democratic opposition. Even during his campaign, Corcoran aggressively pursued future leadership by securing pledges from incoming Republican colleagues to support his eventual speakership bid, outmaneuvering competitors including . Following after the 2010 , Corcoran represented District 37 from 2012 to 2018, covering parts of Pasco County. He was reelected without opposition in both the 2012 and 2014 cycles, reflecting strong local support in the conservative district. During his initial terms, Corcoran served on the Health and Human Services Committee from 2012 to 2014, focusing on policy areas including healthcare access and social services oversight. By the 2014-2016 legislative term, Corcoran had ascended to chairmanship of the powerful Appropriations Committee, where he influenced state budgeting priorities such as education funding and regulatory reductions. In this role, he advocated for , contributing to efforts that later aligned with broader initiatives to cut taxes and streamline government operations, though specific early-session bills under his direct sponsorship emphasized local Pasco County issues like and . His rapid rise from freshman to key committee leader underscored his prior experience as to U.S. Senator and his network within Florida's establishment. Corcoran won reelection unopposed again in 2016, paving the way for his selection as Speaker-elect.

Speakership and major initiatives (2016–2018)

Richard Corcoran assumed the role of of the in November 2016, following his designation prior to the victories in the November 8 that preserved the party's . Upon taking office, he implemented House rules aimed at curbing lobbyist influence, including requirements for members to file bills for each appropriations request and enhanced transparency measures. Corcoran's speakership emphasized , with priorities including tax relief, regulatory reduction, and accountability in state spending. A cornerstone of his agenda was , advancing over $10 billion in tax cuts across his legislative tenure, with significant actions during the session. He championed a —passed by the Legislature and approved by voters in November 2018—to expand the , providing savings estimated at $1.6 billion annually once implemented. To prevent automatic hikes tied to rising assessments, Corcoran secured $539 million in state funds to offset increased school revenues, effectively freezing local tax burdens without rate changes. Additionally, his leadership facilitated the repeal or reduction of more than 5,000 state regulations, streamlining business operations and reducing compliance costs. In , Corcoran drove expansive reforms through House Bill 7069, enacted in June 2017 after intense negotiations and signed by Governor . The legislation prioritized "Schools of Hope," enabling rapid conversion of failing public schools to management, mandated sharing of local property taxes with schools, and diminished union while promoting performance-based teacher evaluations. These measures, which Corcoran positioned as empowering parental options over traditional district monopolies, faced opposition from teachers' unions citing inadequate transparency and potential diversion of public funds. The bill represented a broader push to eliminate remnants of standards and enhance accountability in K-12 funding. Corcoran also targeted government accountability and economic incentives, enacting a six-year lobbying ban for departing legislators and elected officials in March 2017 to deter influence peddling. He led efforts to defund corporate subsidy programs like Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, arguing they exemplified inefficient "corporate welfare" amid alternatives like direct tax reductions. In 2018, he resisted and gubernatorial proposals for hikes on funding, prioritizing expenditure restraint over revenue growth. These initiatives underscored his confrontational style, often clashing with the and executive branch to enforce House priorities before term limits ended his speakership in 2018.

Key policy achievements and legislative battles

As Speaker of the from November 2016 to November 2018, Richard Corcoran prioritized , leading efforts to enact over $10 billion in tax cuts across multiple sessions, including reductions in , , and corporate taxes. These measures aimed to return surplus revenue to taxpayers amid Florida's growing economy, with specific cuts in the 2017 session targeting business filing fees and communications services taxes. He also oversaw the elimination of more than 5,000 state regulations, streamlining and environmental permitting processes to reduce bureaucratic burdens on businesses and individuals. Corcoran advanced education reforms emphasizing parental choice, sponsoring and passing legislation that expanded access to and vouchers, including tying portions of the state budget—such as $8.3 billion in school funding—to policies like the program for bullied students and increased funding for facilities. These initiatives built on prior expansions but faced opposition from teachers' unions, whom Corcoran publicly criticized for resisting in public . Additionally, the House under his leadership approved a increasing the from $50,000 to $75,000, which voters ratified in 2018, providing relief to over 2 million homeowners. Corcoran's tenure featured intense clashes with Governor , most notably over House Bill 7005 in 2017, which sought to abolish Enterprise Florida—a state economic development agency—and redirect its funding while defunding Visit Florida's marketing by two-thirds; the House passed the measure 87-28 despite Scott's statewide campaign against it, highlighting Corcoran's opposition to he deemed ineffective . The bill stalled in the , forcing a that reduced but did not eliminate the programs, underscoring tensions between the 's anti-incentive stance and Scott's pro-business priorities. He also battled pari-mutuel gambling interests, advancing House bills in 2018 that blocked expansions like destination resort casinos and favored maintaining the Seminole Tribe's compact exclusivity, rejecting Senate proposals for broader legalization amid concerns over addiction and revenue losses. On medical marijuana, Corcoran supported stricter implementation rules post-2016 voter approval, opposing unchecked dispensary growth and vertically integrated models favored by some growers, though the issue remained unresolved by session's end due to inter-chamber disputes. These fights reflected his commitment to limited government, often pitting the House against establishment interests and leading to veto threats and public feuds.

Tenure as Florida Education Commissioner

Appointment and core responsibilities (2018–2022)

Richard Corcoran was recommended by Governor-elect for the position of Commissioner of Education on December 6, 2018, succeeding Pam Stewart upon her resignation effective January 8, 2019. The State Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment on December 17, 2018, shortly after Corcoran resigned as of the . He assumed the role in early 2019 and served until resigning in May 2022. As Commissioner, Corcoran acted as the executive officer of the State Board of Education and chief administrative officer of the , with statutory duties including organizing the department, supervising its staff of approximately 3,000 employees, and maintaining the state's K-20 educational . He was responsible for implementing intensive improvement initiatives and enforcing accountability standards, while also serving as the board's legislative coordinator to propose policy changes and ensure compliance with state laws. Corcoran further recommended the department's annual —totaling over $20 billion in 2019-2020—to the board and promoted administrative efficiency to steward taxpayer resources effectively. The position required Corcoran to oversee the administration of public K-12 schools, career and education, and elements of policy, emphasizing expanded access to educational options such as programs amid Florida's ongoing emphasis on accountability metrics like standardized testing and school grading systems.

Handling of COVID-19 school reopenings

In July 2020, amid a surge in cases across , Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued Emergency Order 2020-EO-6 on July 6, requiring all districts, schools, and other eligible providers to reopen brick-and-mortar facilities for in-person instruction at least five days per week no later than August 31, unless state and local health authorities deemed it unsafe based on specific criteria. The order emphasized parental choice, allowing districts to offer full-time in-person, full-time virtual, or hybrid options, while suspending certain accountability measures like standardized testing requirements to facilitate the transition. Corcoran described the directive as providing "complete flexibility" to local leaders and families, deflecting criticism by attributing delays in planning to media focus on case counts rather than evidence of low school-based transmission risks. The policy aligned with Governor Ron DeSantis's June 11, 2020, announcement of non-binding recommendations for safe reopenings, including enhanced cleaning protocols, where feasible, and optional masking, developed in consultation with health experts and prioritizing empirical data on child vulnerability to severe outcomes over prolonged closures. Corcoran's order faced immediate opposition from the Education Association (FEA), a teachers' , which filed suit on July 20 against Corcoran, DeSantis, and the Department of , alleging violations of constitutional and unsafe conditions amid rising hospitalizations. A Leon County granted a temporary on August 24, blocking the mandate and ruling that it arbitrarily prioritized reopenings without adequate legislative input or health safeguards. Florida's First District Court of Appeal reversed the on October 9, 2020, upholding Corcoran's authority under powers granted by and finding no constitutional overreach, as the order deferred to local health judgments rather than mandating operations regardless of conditions. The declined to review the case on November 30, 2020, allowing districts to proceed with in-person options. By late November, Corcoran and issued further orders requiring schools to remain open for in-person learning through the 2020-21 school year, with continued virtual alternatives, while noting that distance learning would persist into 2021 for opting families. This approach contrasted with many other states' extended remote mandates, reflecting 's emphasis on resuming normal educational operations based on observed low pediatric mortality rates and potential harms from educational disruptions.

Education reforms and outcomes

As Florida's Education Commissioner from late 2018 to April 2022, Corcoran oversaw significant expansions in programs, including the signing of legislation in 2021 that universalized eligibility for certain vouchers, marking the largest such expansion in state history. This built on prior growth, with the program adding 31,225 new students in the 2019-2020 school year compared to 18,806 the prior year. Corcoran also championed reforms, including new funding formulas and incentives for high-performing charters, while promoting data showing charter students outperforming traditional peers in key metrics. Another key initiative was the Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative, directed by Governor in December 2019 and implemented under Corcoran, which mandated the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) for high school students in U.S. courses starting in the 2021-2022 school year as a graduation requirement. The exam assesses knowledge of foundational documents and principles, with a passing score exempting students from postsecondary civic tests. Corcoran additionally secured record-high K-12 levels, including the highest per-pupil spending in history during his tenure, alongside pushes for accountability measures like performance-based . Outcomes were mixed. Pre-COVID, state assessments showed gains, such as a 1 percentage point increase in grades 3-8 mathematics proficiency on the Standards Assessments (FSA) for the 2018-2019 school year. enrollment accelerated, contributing to broader access, though long-term academic impacts remain debated amid studies linking choice programs to improved student outcomes in participating cohorts. However, the disruptions led to declines, with (NAEP) scores for fourth-graders in mathematics falling from 246 in 2019 to 241 in 2022—still above the national average but reflecting learning losses. The inaugural FCLE results for 2021-2022 revealed low proficiency, with only 37% of tested students (primarily grades 6-12 in courses) achieving a passing score of 60% or higher. Despite these challenges, Corcoran highlighted sustained funding and choice expansions as foundational to long-term recovery efforts.

Major controversies

Jefferson County bid-rigging allegations

In 2021, Jefferson County , comprising three small rural schools in northern , sought to regain local control after years of state intervention due to academic failure and financial mismanagement, including a prior arrangement with charter operator Somerset Academy that ended amid disputes. The district issued a request for proposals for a $1.2 million consulting contract to assist in the transition back to traditional operations, emphasizing compliance with state standards and operational improvements. Allegations emerged that officials in the (FLDOE), then led by Commissioner Richard Corcoran, interfered in the bidding process to favor specific entities, including potential by department insiders. Reports indicated that FLDOE staff, including two of Corcoran's top deputies—Jacob Oliva () and Alex Lanfranconi (general counsel)—along with State Board of Education member Andy Tuck, submitted a competing bid through a newly formed entity, reportedly undercutting the original low bidder, Jefferson County's chosen consultant. This action prompted accusations of bid-rigging, as the officials allegedly used non-public information and their positions to influence the outcome, violating rules that bar employees from competing against external bidders. Local school board members rejected the insiders' bid and resisted FLDOE pressure to award the contract, citing conflicts of interest and lack of . The controversy intensified when FLDOE threatened to withhold the district's return to local control unless it complied, leading to public outcry and media scrutiny over potential in Corcoran's administration. The proposed contract ultimately collapsed without award, and on February 4, 2022, Corcoran released the district from state oversight, subject to performance conditions like maintaining fiscal stability. In June 2023, a federal in the Northern District of launched an investigation into the matter, subpoenaing Jefferson County for records of communications involving school officials, lobbyists, and FLDOE personnel, with a focus on the 2021 and Academy's role. The probe examined potential antitrust violations related to bid manipulation but has not resulted in charges against Corcoran or others as of October 2025. Corcoran dismissed the allegations as unfounded during a September 2023 public appearance, labeling the federal inquiry "hogwash." A subsequent state review promised by Governor ' office in 2023 was limited in scope, relying primarily on existing FLDOE documents without independent verification.

Conflicts of interest and lobbying ties

After resigning as Florida Education Commissioner in August 2022, Richard Corcoran joined Continental Strategy LLC, a Tallahassee-based lobbying and consulting firm, as a partner. State lobbying records indicate that, during his tenure at the firm from 2022 to early 2023 before assuming the New College presidency, Corcoran primarily advocated for clients before the office of Governor Ron DeSantis, including efforts related to higher education and state funding. Following his departure to New College of Florida, Continental Strategy secured multiple contracts with Florida public universities, including a $150,000 deal with New College for strategic consulting on legislative and funding matters, raising questions about potential influence from Corcoran's ongoing relationships with state officials. Corcoran's familial connections have also drawn scrutiny for possible conflicts. His wife, Anne Corcoran, served as CEO of Classical Preparatory School, a charter school management organization, and was appointed to the board of a new charter school initiative in 2018 alongside spouses of other Florida lawmakers, amid legislative expansions favoring charter schools under Corcoran's speakership. Additionally, in 2019, the Florida Department of Education selected a private Christian college affiliated with Anne Corcoran for a statewide civics curriculum review, prompting allegations of favoritism despite departmental assurances of no involvement by her in the selection process. Corcoran's brother, Michael Corcoran, operates Corcoran Partners, a prominent Florida lobbying firm representing clients in gaming, healthcare, and education sectors before state government. These ties have been cited by critics as creating inherent risks of undue influence, though Corcoran has not been formally charged with violations. During his Education Commissioner role, Corcoran's pursuit of university presidencies elicited conflict concerns due to his ex-officio membership on the , which oversees public higher education appointments; for instance, his 2021 candidacy for was withdrawn amid questions over divided loyalties between state oversight duties and personal ambition. Similar issues arose in his 2023 selection as New College , where Board of Governors approval intersected with his prior commissioner position, though supporters argued his expertise justified the transition without impropriety. No probes have substantiated personal misconduct, but these episodes highlight structural tensions in Florida's overlapping political and educational governance roles.

Presidency at New College of Florida

Appointment and early actions (2023–present)

Richard Corcoran was selected as interim president of by the state's Board of Governors on February 23, 2023, with his tenure beginning in March 2023. This appointment followed Governor Ron DeSantis's overhaul of the college's Board of Trustees in January 2023, installing six new members aligned with efforts to redirect the institution toward a more classical liberal arts model emphasizing Western civilization and core curricula. Corcoran's interim role was set to extend through September 2024 unless a permanent successor was named earlier. On October 3, 2023, the New College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Corcoran as permanent president, confirming the decision at a subsequent Board of Governors meeting on November 9, 2023. His compensation package included a base salary of $525,000, plus performance incentives and benefits totaling up to approximately $699,000 annually. Among Corcoran's initial actions, the administration eliminated (DEI) initiatives and offices shortly after his arrival, aligning with state directives against such programs in public institutions. In early 2023, the Africana Studies Living-Learning Community was canceled, and related programming was restructured or discontinued. These steps drew protests from students and faculty, who filed complaints alleging , though the administration defended them as necessary to refocus on academic merit over ideological mandates. Corcoran also initiated faculty hiring targeted at scholars supportive of the college's evolving mission, including conservatives like as a visiting , and began curriculum reviews to prioritize tracks. By mid-2023, the board approved strategic plans projecting from around 700 to 1,200 students by 2028 through expanded recruitment and program offerings in high-demand fields. These early efforts secured state funding increases, including $10 million for operational enhancements in the 2024 .

Implementation of reforms

Upon assuming the presidency in February 2023, Corcoran prioritized the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, abolishing the Office of Outreach and Inclusive Excellence and aligning with state legislation prohibiting such programs. In August 2023, the gender studies program was shuttered, removing associated courses and theses focused on topics such as nonwhite dancing bodies and white heteronormativity. To bolster enrollment, Corcoran launched an intercollegiate athletics program in 2023, introducing teams in , , , and soccer, which attracted 153 student-athletes to the freshman class that year. The college gained full membership in the (NAIA) and The Sun Conference effective July 1, 2024, with plans to expand to up to 23 sports by 2027. Curriculum reforms emphasized a classical liberal arts model, with a new structure announced in 2023 requiring a humanities course on Homer's Odyssey—beta-tested that fall—and incorporating applied arts, statistics, and data science. By October 2024, the core curriculum was overhauled around "logos" (reason and logic) and "techne" (applied knowledge), removing general education credits for courses like Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Religion in America, Latin American film studies, and feminist writings from Africa, while dropping a mandatory writing class in favor of electives. On November 19, 2024, trustees approved revisions to the mission statement and core requirements, mandating exposure to Western philosophy, history, science, and arts. Faculty restructuring accompanied these changes, with approximately 40% turnover in 2023 through resignations and non-renewals, alongside five tenure denials that year and plans to hire up to 40 new professors aligned with principles. Corcoran also committed to the for free inquiry, aiming to foster analytical thinking and rooted in historical Western traditions. These efforts contributed to a record incoming class of 328 students in fall 2023.

Criticisms, defenses, and measurable impacts

Critics have accused Corcoran of retaliating against faculty dissenters, notably denying emeritus status to Ann Reid, a professor with 30 years at New College who publicly questioned the 2023 conservative restructuring, despite faculty approval of her application. Similar ousters targeted top foundation finance officers in 2023 who resisted administrative overreach on donor funds and financial safeguards, prompting allegations of undermining oversight to favor restricted expenditures. Financial controversies include Corcoran's former lobbying firm securing state university contracts, including at New College, amid claims of a "" favoring insiders, while the administration's bid to control the foundation has been criticized as an attempt to redirect donor-restricted funds for reforms like athletics. Academic metrics have deteriorated, with rankings falling 59 places since 2023, attributed by opponents to diluted rigor and backlash against politicized changes. Enrollment gains from adding intercollegiate sports have been offset by retention averaging 72% under Corcoran—below the prior four-year 80% average—and persistent overall declines, despite state funding surges exceeding $68,000 per student annually. Defenders, including Corcoran in his 2024 book Storming the Ivory Tower, argue the reforms addressed a pre-existing "failing institution" marred by low enrollment (around 700 students), ideological capture via DEI programs, and lax standards, positioning the overhaul—eliminating gender studies, hiring conservative-leaning faculty, and bolstering athletics—as essential for restoring classical liberal arts focus and competitiveness. Corcoran has defended personnel decisions as merit-based disruptions of "entrenched bureaucracies" and affirmed free speech commitments, as in his 2025 response to campus violence concerns post-Charlie Kirk's death, while crediting targeted recruitment and marketing for enrollment upticks reported in the college's 2024 accountability plan. Impacts remain mixed and contested, with short-term enrollment rises from athletics (e.g., first-year boosts via sports scholarships) contrasted by sustained retention shortfalls and ranking drops, signaling challenges in attracting/retaining high-caliber students amid perceptions of politicization—though supporters like highlight progress in curriculum realignment and faculty diversification as foundational for long-term viability, despite elevated spending without proportional academic gains. These outcomes reflect causal tensions between rapid ideological shifts and institutional inertia, where empirical metrics like retention lag behind administrative goals, even as state appropriations have expanded to support expansion ambitions.

Political ideology and positions

Views on education policy

Corcoran has consistently advocated for expanding options, including and charter schools, as a means to empower parents and foster competition in . As Florida House Speaker from 2016 to 2018, he prioritized that linked public school funding to new programs for students facing or , arguing that such measures promote over union-driven monopolies. In 2019, as Education Commissioner, he supported the passage of a bill creating Florida's fifth program, the Family Empowerment Scholarship, which expanded eligibility to all students regardless of income, enabling over 123,000 additional participants by 2023. He has credited these reforms, building on Jeb Bush's 1999 A+ Plan, with driving Florida's student achievement gains over two decades. Corcoran has expressed strong opposition to teachers' unions, viewing them as obstacles to and . In his 2016 inaugural speech as Speaker, he described the Florida Education Association's legal challenges to programs as "downright evil," accusing the union of prioritizing self-preservation over student outcomes. During his tenure as , he clashed with unions over school reopenings amid , issuing orders in 2020 that required districts to offer in-person options and withheld funds from counties like Alachua and Broward for mask mandates that overrode parental opt-outs, emphasizing parental rights under state law. On curriculum and classroom content, Corcoran has opposed what he terms , including . In 2021, he stated that he had "censored, fired or terminated teachers" for promoting such ideologies and supported state rules against student . He has defended laws like the 2022 Parental Rights in Education Act, which limits discussions of and in early grades, framing them as protections against ideological overreach rather than restrictions on speech. Corcoran extends his reformist views to higher education, criticizing subjective rankings that insulate institutions from accountability and advocating against dominant ideological biases in . In a 2025 critique, he argued that U.S. News & World Report's metrics perpetuate an "insulated, ideological" rather than measuring academic performance. He opposes abolishing the U.S. Department of Education outright, preferring targeted reforms to counter indoctrination and restore focus on classical .

Broader conservative stances

Corcoran has advocated for significant reductions, overseeing more than $10 billion in tax cuts during his legislative tenure as a means to promote and limit government intervention in the . He vehemently opposed any form of tax increases, including rejecting Rick Scott's proposed $450 million hike in 2017, declaring it a non-starter with the emphatic statement, "hell, no." This fiscal restraint extended to blocking indirect tax mechanisms, such as those debated in , where he prioritized avoiding revenue enhancements over alternative spending proposals. On regulatory policy, Corcoran championed as a core principle, facilitating the elimination of over 5,000 state regulations to reduce barriers to business and foster free-market competition, viewing excessive rules as often driven by special interests rather than public benefit. He emphasized , criticizing local overreach—such as municipal bans on or —as unconstitutional encroachments beyond authorized lanes, arguing for adherence to state-level authority in economic matters. In immigration policy, Corcoran supported stringent enforcement measures, including a 2018 legislative push to prohibit cities in through a bill that would penalize localities shielding undocumented immigrants from federal authorities; he amplified this stance via campaign ads portraying unchecked as a direct threat to public safety and . Regarding Second Amendment rights, Corcoran positioned the House as staunchly pro-gun prior to the 2018 Parkland shooting, consistently opposing expansions of background checks or mental health funding tied to firearm restrictions; however, as Speaker, he backed a compromise bill raising the minimum age for rifle purchases to 21 and introducing a three-day waiting period, drawing sharp rebukes from the NRA, which labeled it a "betrayal" of gun owners despite his prior resistance to such controls.

Personal life and later activities

Family and residences

Richard Corcoran was born on March 16, 1965, in , , the fourth of five children to parents who both grew up during the and served in ; his father, Robert, worked for the U.S. State Department. Corcoran's family relocated to , in 1976 when he was 11 years old. Corcoran has been married to Anne Corcoran, also an attorney, for over 29 years as of 2023. The couple has six children: , Jack, , Luke, William Major, and . In July 2020, amid the , Corcoran stated that all six children would attend in-person schooling for the upcoming academic year. Corcoran has resided in continuously since his family's move in 1976, initially in Pasco County, and has maintained ties to the state through his political career representing districts there. As of his appointment as president of in Sarasota in 2023, he and his family are based in the state, though specific current residential details beyond this are not publicly detailed in official biographies.

Publications and ongoing influence

Richard Corcoran authored Storming the Ivory Tower: How a Florida College Became Ground Zero in the Struggle to Take Back Our Campuses, published on November 19, 2024, by Post Hill Press, an imprint of . The book provides a firsthand account of Corcoran's tenure as president of , detailing efforts to reform the institution amid broader conflicts over ideology, including the elimination of certain programs and curriculum shifts toward classical Western texts. Upon release, it topped Amazon's new release lists in Educational Reform and & Social Policy categories. The publication chronicles specific reforms, such as requiring first-year students to study Homer's Odyssey by fall 2024 and addressing campus protests' role in shaping policy responses. Corcoran dedicates chapters to progressive influences in academia and the political battles influencing Florida's interventions, positioning New College as a test case for conservative-led higher education changes. Reviews have appeared in outlets like the Claremont Review of Books, which praises its narrative on reclaiming liberal arts from ideological capture, and the Higher Education Policy Institute, which notes its defense of enrollment-driven necessities amid prior institutional decline. Beyond the book, Corcoran's ongoing influence manifests in public advocacy for , including interviews and speeches emphasizing constitutional and skepticism toward entrenched academic bureaucracies. His prior roles as House Speaker (2016–2018) and Education Commissioner (2019–2022) inform these efforts, with the book extending arguments for policy shifts like reforms and reduced administrative bloat into on . As of 2025, Corcoran continues shaping 's landscape through his New College presidency, where reforms have prioritized measurable outcomes over prior enrollment stagnation, though critics from academic associations question the academic freedom implications.

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