Bridget Ziegler

Bridget Ziegler
Ziegler in 2022
Born (1982-07-23) July 23, 1982 (age 44)
Schaumburg, Illinois, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Democratic (previously)
Board member of
Sarasota County School Board
Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
SpouseChristian Ziegler
Children3
Websitebridgetziegler.com

Bridget Anne Ziegler (née McGrath; born July 23, 1982) is an American politician who is on the school board for Sarasota County, Florida. She is a conservative education activist and a co-founder of Moms for Liberty.

Early life and career

Bridget McGrath was born in Schaumburg, Illinois, to Eileen Marie and Kevin Norman McGrath as the youngest of three children, and raised in Wheaton, Illinois, and Fort Gratiot, Michigan. She attended classes at two junior colleges and a state university, but left to begin selling handbags and, later, insurance. She became politically active after marrying Republican politician Christian Ziegler. She changed her political affiliation from registered Democrat to Republican after she began dating him around 2010.

In June 2014, Governor Rick Scott appointed Ziegler to fill a vacancy on the Sarasota County School Board. She was elected to a four-year term in November 2014 and reelected in 2018 and 2022. Her candidacy was endorsed by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Ziegler co-founded Moms for Liberty in 2021, but left the organization later that year. When the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled Moms for Liberty as an "anti-government extremist group", Ziegler described the label as "reckless".

Following the 2022 election, the Sarasota County School Board shifted from a 3–2 liberal-leaning majority to a 4–1 conservative super-majority and several controversies ensued.

In September 2022, Ziegler accepted a position with the Leadership Institute. In December 2023, at their request, she resigned from the Leadership Institute because of details she revealed during an investigation into allegations of sexual assault by her husband that were made by a woman who had engaged in a three-way sexual relationship with the Zieglers.

Political positions

Ziegler has criticized Black Lives Matter "and how it was taught in schools", according to Bloomberg, "and she has promoted unscientific ideas around trends in trans youth". During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ziegler advocated against mask mandates in Sarasota County schools. Ziegler has fought against the teaching of critical race theory and LGBTQ inclusivity.

Alongside her husband, Ziegler has been held as an example of increasing political tension and polarization. Ziegler was a major backer of the controversial Parental Rights in Education Act. The law builds on the 2021 "Parents' Bill of Rights", which Ziegler helped draft in 2019. As a result of the DeSantis feud with Disney, Ziegler was appointed by DeSantis to the board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District created to take oversight of the district away from Disney.

In December 2023, Ziegler's husband was investigated regarding allegations that he had raped a woman in her apartment in October 2023. The accuser stated that while they had planned a threesome, Bridget Ziegler was unable to attend. Christian Ziegler allegedly showed up anyway and assaulted her. The Zieglers admitted to previously having a consensual encounter with the accuser. Christian Ziegler was later cleared of the allegation.

The Sarasota County School Board called upon Ziegler to resign in a 4-to-1 non-binding vote, with Ziegler as the only vote against the resolution. Ziegler additionally refused to resign. Only DeSantis, acting in his capacity as governor of Florida, was capable of removing her. Ziegler remained in office, and did not run for reelection in 2026.

Personal life

Ziegler moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 2010, where her parents had retired. She is married to Christian Ziegler. They have three children.[citation needed]

A Sarasota police investigation following an accusation of rape and sexual assault against Christian Ziegler that was filed during October 2023 by a participant in a threesome that included both Zieglers, was reported by media across the country on November 30, 2023. When questioned, Bridget Ziegler admitted to the threesome sexual relationship involving her husband and another woman. On December 22, news reports stated that police had recovered a sex tape of Ziegler and an unnamed woman. On January 19, the Sarasota police said that they had closed their investigation of sexual assault charges against Christian, but the charge of having made a video of their sexual encounter without permission from his sexual partner remained. The state attorney did not proceed with an indictment, stating that the evidence was not conclusive enough to expect a successful prosecution.

In May 2024, the Zieglers sought to prevent the release of records from the investigation. In September 2026, a Florida appeals court ruled that the records were subject to public disclosure.

References

  1. ↑ "Sarasota County School Board District 1: Q&A with Bridget Ziegler". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. July 30, 2018. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ Norman, Bob (May 16, 2024). "Sex, barflies, and videotape: Report details how GOP power couple prowled pubs for threesome partners". The Bradenton Times. Archived from the original on January 17, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bridges, C. A. (December 4, 2023). "Who is Bridget Ziegler? Florida school board member, Moms for Liberty co-founder, DeSantis ally". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Gordon, Mark (September 23, 2022). "Tales of a School Board Warrior". Washington Examiner. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  5. ↑ Ogles, Jacob, The Fall of the House of Ziegler: Moms for Liberty, a threesome, and a failed political dynasty, Advocate, April 3, 2024
  6. ↑ "Ziegler leads Sarasota School Board sweep". Sarasota Observer. August 23, 2022. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Dixon, Matt (February 27, 2023). "DeSantis appoints political backers to new Disney oversight board". Politico. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  8. ↑ Anderson, Zac (June 20, 2022). "Ron DeSantis endorses Ziegler and Enos in Sarasota County School Board races". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  9. ↑ Walker, Steven (June 7, 2023). "'Reckless': Sarasota School Board's Bridget Ziegler rebuts Moms for Liberty 'extremist' label". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Walker, Steven (August 26, 2022). "Sarasota's School Board flipped to a conservative majority: What happens next?". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  11. ↑ Ogles, Jacob (September 12, 2022). "Ziegler Takes National Post With Leadership Institute". srqmagazine.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  12. ↑ Walker, Steven (December 6, 2023). "Bridget Ziegler resigns director position at conservative nonprofit Leadership Institute". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ Storey, Samantha; Quillian, Kathleen (January 18, 2023). "The School Board Queen: How a Florida Mom Is Shaking Up US Education". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  14. ↑ McKinnon, Ryan (August 26, 2021). "Sarasota County School Board member instrumental to law and activists opposing mask mandates". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  15. 1 2 Olson, Emily (March 6, 2023). "5 DeSantis allies now control Disney World's special district. Here's what's next". NPR. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  16. ↑ Anderson, Zac (May 10, 2022). "Sarasota illustrates nation's polarized political climate, GOP's evolution, reports Washington Post". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  17. ↑ Craig, Tim (May 10, 2022). "As community veers right, political division tears apart Sarasota, Fla". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Historic Bill to Protect Parental Rights in Education". flgov.com (Press release). March 28, 2022. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  19. ↑ McKinnon, Ryan (April 26, 2021). "Parents' Bill of Rights, born out of Sarasota controversy, advances in Florida Legislature". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Mazzei, Patricia (December 12, 2023). "Alluding to Scandal, Florida School Board Urges Member to Resign". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  21. 1 2 3 "Christian Ziegler: Ex-Florida Republican chair cleared of rape". BBC. January 19, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  22. ↑ "As Scandal Simmers, Florida Republicans Want Party Chairman Out". The New York Times. December 6, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  23. 1 2 Anderson, Curt (December 12, 2023). "Florida school board may seek ouster of Moms for Liberty co-founder over Republican sex scandal". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Ousted Florida Republican cleared of rape allegation but faces video voyeurism charge". NPR. January 19, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  25. ↑ "No video voyeurism charge for ousted Florida GOP chair Ziegler, previously cleared of rape". NBC 6 South Florida. March 6, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  26. 1 2 Atterbury, Andrew (December 12, 2023). "Moms for Liberty cofounder refuses to resign from Sarasota school board". Politico. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  27. ↑ Dixon, Matt (December 13, 2023). "Florida school board votes for Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler to resign". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  28. ↑ Walker, Steven (December 12, 2023). "Sarasota School Board approves resolution calling for Bridget Ziegler to resign". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  29. ↑ Writer, CHLOE NELSON Staff (June 23, 2026). "Conservative School Board majority confirm no re-run for office". Sun Newspapers. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  30. ↑ Sheridan, Kerry (August 19, 2026). "Two Democrat-endorsed candidates win Sarasota school board, ousting conservative majority". WUSF. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  31. 1 2 Norman, Bob (December 4, 2023). "Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler has claimed he's been falsely accused, but judge and police found probable cause he committed sexual battery". The Florida Trident. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  32. ↑ Norman, Bob (November 30, 2023). "Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, husband of Moms For Liberty cofounder, accused of sexual battery by alleged ménage à trois lover". The Bradenton Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  33. ↑ Anderson, Zac (November 30, 2023). "Florida GOP chair accused of sexual battery; attorney says he'll be exonerated". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  34. ↑ Norman, Bob (November 30, 2023). "Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, husband of Moms For Liberty cofounder, accused of sexual assault by alleged menage a trois lover". Florida Center for Government Accountability. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  35. ↑ Stieb, Matt (December 22, 2023). "The Sex Scandal That Could Take Down Moms for Liberty". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  36. ↑ Barfield, Michael (December 22, 2023). "Police have recovered second Ziegler sex video, sources say". Florida Center for Government Accountability (FLCGA). Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  37. ↑ Fineout, Gary (January 19, 2024). "Ousted Florida GOP leader Christian Ziegler won't be charged with rape". Politico. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  38. ↑ Casale, Christian. "State Attorney's Office declines to charge Christian Ziegler with video voyeurism". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  39. ↑ Walker, Steven. "'On the prowl': Christian, Bridget Ziegler texts show couple's search for sexual partners". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024. "don't come home until your dick is wet"
  40. ↑ "Sex, barflies, and videotape: Report details how GOP power couple prowled pubs for threesome partners". WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida. May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  41. ↑ Barfield, Michael, Public Wins Access to Ziegler Investigation Records as Appeals Court Reverses Secrecy Order: Appeals Court Reverses Order Sealing and Destroying Records in Ziegler Investigation, Affirming Florida’s Public Records Law, Florida Trident, September 2, 2026