Mayor Randall Henderson announces run for Congressional District Seat 19

Fort Myers Mayor Randall P. Henderson Jr., announced Wednesday he will seek the Congressional District 19 seat in Southwest Florida being vacated by Congressman Francis Rooney.

“My 10 years as Mayor, including 9 years on the City Council, has provided insight and vast experience working in the public sector including solving complex issues while improving the quality of life for the citizens of Fort Myers,” he said. “I believe this experience provides me the background to lead the charge for serving citizens in District 19 and bring focus and support from Washington to our district,” said Mayor Henderson.

Henderson said the key components of his platform will be consistent with that of his past leadership including a focus on the environment, quality of life, expansion of business and infrastructure and modernizing and preparing the region to manage catastrophic occurrences.

“Keeping citizens safe will always be an important tenant of this responsibility as well,” said Henderson.

Rooney announced in October that he would not run for re-election as southwest Florida’s congressman in 2020.

Henderson, 63, has been a resident of Fort Myers for 40 years. He was born and raised in North Carolina where he graduated from Mars Hill College in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He began his career in Fort Myers in banking and is currently the CEO of Corbin Henderson Company, a real estate firm, serving since 1986.

Mayor Henderson, the 61st mayor of the City of Fort Myers, began his third mayoral term November 2017, becoming the first mayor in the City’s history to be elected three consecutive terms. Prior to being elected mayor in November 2009, Mayor Henderson served for nine years on the Fort Myers City Council.

In 2015, Mayor Henderson was named president of the Florida League of Mayors at the organization’s annual business meeting and served 2015-2016. He currently serves as second Vice President of the statewide Florida League of Cities. He is a dedicated public servant with a passion for helping his community and its residents. Henderson currently serves as an advisory board member for Keiser University and Horizon Council Executive Committee. He has also served on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization and has extensive service on the board of Directors of four commercial banks over the past 30 years. Henderson is a past president of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and Fort Myers Kiwanis Club and previously served as chairman of the City of Fort Myers Conference and Convention Council.

Henderson is a private pilot and enjoys flying both for business and personal pleasure and is an avid fisherman. He has been happily married to his wife Ginny for 40 years and has three adult children: sons, Marcus, and Alex and daughter-in-law, Carrie, daughter, Laura Fraser and son-in-law, Jay Fraser and two granddaughters: Virginia Ann Fraser and Ellery Andrews Fraser, and enjoys time with his family.

“My time serving the great residents of Fort Myers has been hard work and extremely fulfilling. I now want to show all of southwest Florida that with my 19 years of experience, this position will be my sole focus and I have the time and energy to dedicate. I don’t have other things distracting me from giving my all to bring southwest Florida to Washington and Washington to us.”

Henderson is a long-term Republican and as such will run in the Republican race.