By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Derrick Henry is a proven leader who is not afraid to go against the grain, especially in this pandemic where his voice has been steady, reassuring and vital in dealing with the politics of the pandemic in this tourism-driven city.
With that said, Henry should emerge from Tuesday's primary election as mayor of Daytona Beach for another four years. He's the best choice by far, which is why he's endorsed for a third time by Headline Surfer in his quest for a third time as mayor.
He's challenged by a political newcomer, Sherrise Boyd, and an also-ran in Ken Strickland.
And while his challengers criticize the city's large-scale developments and at the same time they say they want to reduce taxes, they don't have answers as to how or where the relief would come from. Henry has done Yeoman's work in keeping the spending increases from getting out of control. He's also is credited for infrastructure projects that have led to new road resurfacings and new sidewalks. The same with enhancement of city parks as well as the opening of the homeless shelter.
Henry, 51, married with two children and a longtime school vice principal, first campaigned in 2012 for mayor with the slogan, "One City, one vision." And he has pretty much made that happened. That year, Henry finished (3,054 votes or 34.12%) second in a 4-way primary behind Edith Shelley (3,550 votes or 39.66 to force a November run-off. But Henry, who was endorsed for mayor prior to that runoff on Nov. 6, 2012, crushed Shelley, with 13,874 votes or 55.51 percent to her 13,874 votes or 44.49 percent of the voting total and was subsequently sworn in as mayor of Daytona Beach less than two weeks later.
Four years ago, Henry, again endorsed by Headline Surfer, fared even better winning his second four-year term outright in the Aug. 16, 2016 primary, with 5,766 votes or a whopping 62.15 percent of the voting total with Strickland a very distant second with 2,083 votes or 22.45 percent of the total.
Henry should prevail again in the Aug. 18 primary and likely win his third term outright. If not and there is a runoff in the general election, it will be because of newcomer Sherrise Boyd, whose campaign message is positive and challeging of the incumbent in a good way; and not Ken Strickland, whose campaign message is a repeat of his previous run for mayor: Overly pessimistic and very negative, with no real solutions. Regardless, Henry undoubtedly should prevail.
Derrick Henry should easily win his third term outright considering his tough, but necessary stances in dealing with Bike Week and COVID-19 and the overcrowded beaches during the early growth of the coronavirus pandemic back in March.
As mayor, Derrick Henry has demonstrated strong leadership throughout this dreadful pandemic with mandated mask-wearing and saying "no" to the scheduled Biketoberfest motorcycle rally in October, which would bring upwards of 125,000 bikers, though the latter remains up in the air.
Derrick Henry has gone against the grain time and again as mayor over the last eight years and Daytona needs his strong leadership moving forward.
Mayor Derrick Henry is shown in this pic from his Facebook campaign page with Larry Kelly, who served as the Daytona Beach Mayor for 20 years back in the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. Henry said he counts it "a blessing to be able to call on him for advice and support during these challenging times, adding, in tough times experience matters."
As mayor, Derrick Henry has demonstrated strong leadership throughout this dreadful pandemic with mandated mask-wearing and saying "no" to the scheduled Biketoberfest motorcycle rally in October, which would bring upwards of 125,000 bikers, though the latter remains up in the air. Derrick Henry has gone against the grain time and again as mayor over the last eight years and Daytona needs his strong leadership moving forward.
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.