JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul>
    <div class="linkgroup"> <span class="helper"></span>
        <img src="http://jsfiddle.net/img/logo.png" /> <a href="somelink.com" class="navLink">HOME</a>
    </div>
</ul>

CSS

.linkgroup {
    height: 100px;
    width: 500px;
    border: 1px solid red;
}
span {
    display: inline-block;
    height: 100%;
    vertical-align: middle;
}
img {
    background: #3A6F9A;
    border: 1px solid red;
    vertical-align:middle;
    height: 40px;
}
a {
    vertical-align:middle;
    display: inline-block;
    border: 1px solid red;
}