Derrick Henry rallies Democrats in non-partisan race for mayor against Daytona Beach Commissioner Edith Shelley

Edith Shelley, the zone 1 Daytona Beach City Commissioner, won Tuesday's primary in the race for Daytona Beach mayor with Derrick Henry, finishing second. This sets the stage for the Nov. 6 general election showdown.

DAYTONA BEACH -- In thanking his supporters for his second-place showing in the primary for Daytona Beach mayor, Derrick Henry is counting on party identification for the vote in the Nov. 6 general elections, even though that race is non-partisan.

Henry, a Democrat, finished second in Tuesday's primary to City Commissioner Edith Shelley among four contestants.

The primary vote was just a warm up for the big prize for the 2012 candidates for elective office. And Henry wasted little time in establishing party identification through President Obama, though he didn't mention him by name.

"I want to thank the over three thousand people who went out and voted for me on Tuesday, I am humbled by the support of so many, said Henry, a former assistant principal and co-owner of the Volusia VPK Learning Center in Daytona Beach.

Then Henry got right down to brass tacks: "Now it is on to the general election in November and it will take many more voters for me to win but I believe without a doubt that it can and will happen. So pass the word that I will be on the ballot for mayor of Daytona Beach, the same ballot that the president will be on."

Then Henry got right down to brass tacks: "Now it is on to the general election in November and it will take many more voters for me to win but I believe without a doubt that it can and will happen. So pass the word that I will be on the ballot for mayor of Daytona Beach, the same ballot that the president will be on."

A message for comment was left with Shelley, a registered Republican, through the cell phone listed on her campaign website. The message has gone unanswered.

Shelley grabbed nearly 40 percent of the votes in Tuesday's primary with Henry right behind her with just over 34 percent. Former City Clerk Gwen Azama-Edwards finished third with nearly 19 percent and Fred Hoffman finished last with just over 7 percent of the votes.

Had Shelley picked up 50 percent plus one additional vote, she would have won the primary outright. But she didn't, which allows second-place finisher Henry the chance to try and knock her off in the general election.

Mayor Glenn Ritchey opted not to seek re-election.

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