The INCUMBENT GOT 60 PERCENT OF THE VOTE.
The unofficial results of the April 8 election for Plant City Commissioner have been released. Jason Jones emerged victorious with 60.13 percent of the vote, to Camryn Henry’s 39.87 percent. The total number of registered voters eligible to cast ballots in this election was 22,462. However, 1,862 showed up at the polls—which is 8.29 percent. Jones received 1,119 votes, while Henry got 742 votes. This election result does not include provisional ballots or mail ballots pending signature cure.
The City Commission is made up of five people who have the power to vote on resolutions that guide the direction of Plant City. In the lead-up to the vote, an outside Political Action Committee based in Tampa inserted itself in the non-partisan contest. Floridians for Senior Care, which has connections to Strategic Image Management—an influential political consulting company, targeted Henry with inflammatory attack text messages and mailers. Floridians for Senior Care pursued a similar strategy before the Lake Wales mayoral election. “The claims being made are false, misleading, and politically motivated,” Henry commented prior to the polls opening. “I’ve never made the statements they’re pushing, and they have no relevance to the role of City Commissioner. I won’t be bullied or distracted by dishonest tactics. My focus remains on serving this community with integrity.”
Plant Citians asked questions about who was behind these attack ads—many speculating that Jones was involved. “….I want to be clear,” he commented. “I am not aware of this organization, nor who is behind it. Furthermore, I have had absolutely no connection to their material, and reject any attempt to be associated. My campaign has always been about honesty, respect, and focusing on the issues that matter most to us.”
We asked voters exiting City Hall, “Why did you come out to vote today?”
“I just think it is important to be involved in any vote if you care about your city—and we do.” -Jennifer B.
“I’m exercising my right, and to see if we can get some stuff done with some new blood on the board.” -Reginald G.
“I always vote because I came from a country where I couldn’t—Cuba. The first time I voted, I voted for Reagan, and I cried because it was the first time anyone in my family could vote. So, it means a lot—with what has been going on, more than you know.” -Estrella L.
“I did not like some of the things I was seeing on social media. I was not comfortable with the way that there were attacks on one of the candidates. It was a nonpartisan election. I did not think that there needed to be PACs involved pulling for a different candidate—for any candidates. This is something that is supposed to be local to our community, and I really did not appreciate a blind PAC from Tampa injecting mailers to people’s homes designed to frighten people. That really bothered me. We went out of our way to make sure we made it before 7:00 today…I probably would not have spent two seconds thinking about a local election, except for that.” -Maggie C.
“…Just the sheer fact that most people do not vote in local elections, is absolutely atrocious…we have to make it count.” – Amy J.
“I’m tired of the status quo.” -Travis T.
“If we start voting on the grass roots, and then we start voting on the senators, and the congressmen all up the chain, we can actually make a difference. People died so I would have this right. So, I take advantage of it.” -Ralph B.
Jones has served as a city commissioner since 2022. Also, he is the founder and chairman for Planes, Trains and Automobiles—an annual event at the Plant City Airport. “I’m deeply grateful to the residents of Plant City for your trust and support,” Jones commented after the election results came in. “This community, built on faith, family, and hard work, has shaped who I am, and I’m honored to continue giving back by serving as your City Commissioner. Together, we will preserve the values that make Plant City such a special place to live, work, and raise a family.”
