Skip Henderson on mayor’s race: ‘I am really looking hard at it’

Columbus Councilor Skip Henderson is seriously considering a run for mayor and said he will make his decision in the next few weeks.

Henderson, 58, has been on council for 20 years, and was re-elected last year to one of two citywide posts.

“If we decide to do this, we have to jump in pretty quick,” Henderson said earlier this week. “We are at a point where it is a matter of weeks and not months before a decision has to be made. I am really looking hard at it.”

Qualifying for the city race will be March 5-9, 2018. The election is scheduled for May 22, 2018.

Henderson won re-election last year with 59 percent of the vote over Columbus attorney Teddy Reese. Because the mayoral election will fall in the middle of Henderson’s four-year term, he would have to resign if he qualified to run for mayor.

The mayor’s office will be vacant for the 2018 election because incumbent Teresa Tomlinson is not eligible to seek a third term. Tomlinson has said she is considering a possible run statewide, either for governor or secretary of state.

The odd number council seats will be up for re-election in 2018.

Henderson, who works for Keller-Williams real estate, said he is still discussing the decision with his wife, Karon, and his employer.

“I am making sure that this fits with what Karon and I want to do,” he said.

This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Skip Henderson on mayor’s race: ‘I am really looking hard at it’."