The Arizona Republic reports that voucher advocates are undeterred by their overwhelming defeat at the ballot box on Tuesday. The fact that the public rejected vouchers by 65-35% at the same time that rightwing Governor Doug Ducey was re-elected does not deter the Koch brothers and the DeVos family. Very likely they presume that the parents and teachers who beat them exhausted their funds.

Less than a day after the crown jewel of their school choice policies was crushed at the ballot box, prominent school choice advocates doubled down by calling for the Arizona Legislature to promote school choice and vouchers laws.

Both the Goldwater Institute and American Federation for Children issued statements backing school choice in the hours after voters rejected by a 65-35 margin Proposition 305, a massive expansion of school vouchers.

The vote overturned the Empowerment Scholarship Account expansion that would have allowed all 1.1 million Arizona public school students to use public money to attend private school. The number of students receiving the money would have been capped at 30,000.

In a statement to supporters, the Goldwater Institute said “the fight for school choice continues.”

“Empowerment Scholarship Accounts help families create a custom educational experience— one as unique as each child. Unfortunately, school choice opponents were successful in denying this option to all Arizona families, regardless of income,” Goldwater Institute President Victor Riches said in the statement.

“Across the country, ESAs have garnered the support of Republicans and Democrats alike because they provide a commonsense way for families to help pay tuition, provide tutoring, and purchase the tools they need to give their students the best chance at success in school and down the road.”

He said other states — including North Carolina and Florida — have followed Arizona and instituted ESAs for selected students.

ROBERTS: Arizona voters said ‘Hell no’ to Ducey’s school voucher plan. Will he listen?

“Arizona has been a national leader on the path to greater school choice for families,” Riches said. “The Goldwater Institute will continue the fight to give students and their families a greater say in their education in Arizona and across the country.”

Meanwhile, American Federation for the Children congratulated Republican Gov. Doug Ducey for defeating “anti-school choice” candidate Democrat David Garcia in the race for governor.

“Governor Ducey is a pro-education, pro-school choice Governor whose leadership has resulted in higher pay for teachers as well as more educational choice options for families,” said the statement from AFC’s Arizona communication director Kim Martinez. “Ducey is a staunch supporter of Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which helps disadvantaged children, many with special needs, access different types of schools or curriculum.”

The statement didn’t mention Prop 305.

The current voucher program, which enrolls 5,600 students at a cost of about $62 million– gives parents 90% of the funding that would have gone to their local public school district. The parents get a debit card which is supposed to cover non-public school expenses, whether for private or religious or home schooling. The program has minimal oversight or accountability. A recent survey by the Arizona Republic showed that some parents were using the debit card for personal expenses, such as cosmetics or clothing.

The ESA program gives parents 90 percent of the funding that would have otherwise gone to their local public school districts. The voucher money, loaded on debit cards, is intended to cover specific education expenses such as private- or religious-school tuition, home-school expenses and education-related therapies.

A spokeswoman for SOS Arizona, the anti-voucher organization, said they would fight renewed efforts to enact a program that the voters opposed overwhelmingly.

But of course the Koch brothers and the DeVos family have unlimited resources. The parents and educators rely on volunteers.