Derrick Wallace, one of the candidates running for Orange County Commission District 6, believes the results of the recent Orlando City District 5 race demonstrated a desire by voters to break with the past and usher in a new era of change.
Juan Lynum, son of sitting Commissioner Daisy Lynum, who is contesting the District 5 seat, will face off against Regina Hill in a run-off election on May 6, as he failed to get a majority in a three-way race last month.
“I looked at it [Orlando City- District 5] in a lot of ways. Six in ten voted against Juan Lynum, but you could say 63 percent voted against Regina Hill if you wanted to add Cynthia Harris’ total to Juan’s. Also, you could have had 74 percent against Cynthia Harris. What the race said was, it’s really time for a change,” said Wallace, in an exclusive interview with West Orlando News Online.
Wallace also decried the manner in which Commissioner Daisy Lynum is stepping down after serving 16 years. According to him, Lynum didn’t provide an opportunity for the community to consider other potential candidates, other than her son.
“People are tired of what normally has been an automatic win for Daisy Lynum,” he said. “Personally, I don’t think that she should have left as she did and that is, allowing her son to slide under a door without giving the community a chance to maybe consider it…. and not allow voters to offer other choices.”
Wallace thinks Hill, who has had a troubled past, stands a good chance of beating Lynum in the run-off early next month.
“I think the young lady [Hill] has a good chance of winning,” he said. “I think a lot of people were surprised she did as well as she did. Now it’s up to which one of the candidates can really get the votes.”
Wallace also discussed other issues including, economic diversification, increasing the minimum wage and how to tackle the growing problem of homelessness in Orange County.
See the full interview HERE.
