Cape Coral mayor’s campaign truck vandalized with spray paint

Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter’s campaign truck was vandalized with spray paint early Monday morning, with the damage quickly repaired ahead of the primary election. Photos from the incident show the truck covered in graffiti, including defacement of Gunter’s photo and the word “crook” written across the side. Kathy McDonnel, a Cape Coral resident, shared her thoughts on the vandalism. “I think it’s disgusting that anybody would do that to any candidate,” McDonnel said. Robert Fox, another resident, emphasized the importance of addressing political disagreements through voting. “Get in the voting booth and take care of it. That’s how we’re supposed to do it. Other people think they have to do more, which is a shame because it just belittles the entire concept and our whole system,” Fox said. Mayor Gunter, who reported the incident to the city, expressed his frustration with the act. “I think, first of all, it takes a coward to do something like that. Your voice is your vote. So, if you don’t, you don’t support a particular candidate. That’s when you go to the booth and you check the box that you want to support. And it’s as simple as that. That’s our democracy,” Gunter said. The vandalism has also drawn responses from Gunter’s opponents. Mayoral candidate Rick Erickson condemned the act and called for respect. “If you don’t like somebody, vote them out; don’t do any damage. Have respect. The guy’s a mayor, right? Give him the respect for that title. He earned it. If you don’t like him, vote him out. That’s it,” Erickson said. Mayoral candidate Lisa Cohen-Adkinson addressed the incident on social media, stating that she does not agree with such behavior. The city confirmed that vehicles with campaign messaging parked on grass areas at the public library are allowed to park on-site due to the property being zoned as institutional. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV