Sam Henderson: 'Excited, Grateful, Thankful' to be Gulfport's Next Mayor

With friends, family members and supporters by his side, Sam Henderson celebrated a win over opponent Bob Worthington at his home Tuesday night.

Henderson received 64.34 percent of the vote with Worthington collecting 35.66 for the council's highest seat, according to unofficial results from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office.

"I feel very excited and unbelievably thankful," Henderson said.

A total of 1,752 people voted for Henderson, with 971 voting for Worthington, according to the unofficial results.

Henderson, 41, received 980 absentee/mail ballots and 772 at the polls. Worthington, 65, received 597 absentee/mail ballots and 374 at the polls.

Henderson credited supporters and campaign volunteers for working tirelessly to spread his message and lure voters to the polls on March 12. He also thanked Bob Worthington for a well-run campaign.

"I look forward to hopefully having his advice over the years and continuing to be his neighbor here in Gulfport," Henderson said.

Henderson will be following in the footsteps of Mayor Mike Yakes, who retired this year with 27 total years of public service.

"We feel honored that Sam's the next mayor after Mike Yakes, because what a legacy he left, that's always going to be in the back of our minds that Mayor Yakes did such a wonderful job and we don't want to let him down and we don't want to let Gulfport down," Laura Henderson, Sam's wife, said.

Supporters said they're looking forward to the new leadership.

"The 49th St. South Business Association is just tickled to death because Sam has been an asset to all of us and everything we have done and I just think it's a new day and we are so excited," Jeri Reed said.

Henderson spoke with Yakes, via phone, Tuesday night.

"He was very kind and he gave me his vote of confidence, he feels like I'll do a very good job, he was just very kind," Henderson said.

On the other side of town, Bob Worthington gathered at The Peninsula Inn to spend the evening with close friends and supporters as well. Although the elections did not end in his favor, Worthington thanked his volunteers for all their hard work.

"Everybody did everything they could possibly do," Worthington said. "I have no regrets because everyone did work very hard. I appreciate everything," he said.

Worthington has no plans to run again and congratulated Henderson is a good race.

"I think Sam will do a fine job. I thought it was an exceptionally good race. I'm not concerned over that because I think we can work together," Worthington said.

Gina Burke, Worthington's Campaign Manager, is also looking to Gulfport's future after the election.

"I have absolutely no regrets. I think this election has brought down more walls within this community, it has connected more people than were connected in the past and I think it's been an absolute blessing," Burke said.

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Sam Henderson will be sworn in as mayor along with council members Christine Brown and Michael Fridovich on Tuesday, March 19 at Gulfport City Hall at 7 p.m.

Brown ran unopposed for the Ward 2 council seat, and Fridovich ran unopposed for the Ward 4 council seat.

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