Photos for Headline Surfer / Reported here first: Stacy Allen Cantu is shown on the front steps of Daytona Beach City Hall on Ridgewood Avenue holding up the signed paperwork with the City Clerk's Office for her campaign ]for a seat on the City Commission in the 2020 elections.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- Stacy Allen Cantu is a longtime political insider within the Republican Party who has promoted campaigns of others for public office at the local, county, state and national levels for many years.
But all of that changed today in a political shocker with her stunning announcement of her own candidacy for office in the 2020 elections -- the non-partisan zone 4 seat on the Daytona Beach City Commission held by entrenched incumbent Rob Gilliland.
Though he has yet to announce his candidacy for a fourth term, Gilliland, who has held the seat since 2005, may have been caught off guard by Cantu's surprise announcement, espewcially consdidering he had no opposition in 2016. Gilliland has let it be known he has every intention of running again for an unprecedented fifth election and 20 years in office.
"I would like to share some exciting news with the city of Daytona Beach and all my Facebook friends," Cantu, 52, wrote on her personal social media page. "After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to run for Daytona Beach City Commissioner Zone 4. I have spoken with many people in the community, and feel that I have the support necessary to move forward."
"I would like to share some exciting news with the city of Daytona Beach and all my Facebook friends," Cantu wrote on her personal social media page. "After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to run for Daytona Beach city commissioner Zone 4. I have spoken with many people in the community, and feel that I have the support necessary to move forward."
Cantu, vice president of the Daytona Beach Republican Club, continued, "As a resident, I have lived in Daytona Beach for over 40 years. I grew up here, raised my children here, and now my children are raising their children here. I would consider it a privilege to serve my community as city commissioner."
If elected to the non-partisan municipal seat, Cantu pledged that "as your commissioner I will listen openly to the concerns of all our community members and treat all that I encounter with the utmost respect. I will work to help build a better community that thrives economically while maintaining that small town welcome feeling. "
Cantu added, "Your issues are my issues and together we will get it done."
Gilliland, who has yet to announce his candidacy for re-election, for the seat he's held since 2005, has not responded to inquiries from Headline Surfer for comment on Cantu's announced candidacy.
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