Catalina Lauf criticized after audio reveals lack of local knowledge ahead of election

Congressional candidate Catalina Lauf is under scrutiny after an audio recording surfaced revealing her inability to answer basic questions about local officials and districts during a BUPAC meeting in Bonita Springs, just hours before election day. Lauf, who recently moved to Bonita Springs from Illinois, attended the meeting several months ago. BUPAC, a political action committee, provides a platform for business members to ask candidates questions. During the session, Lauf struggled to answer questions about the city's mayor, her precinct, and local officials. "Do you know the mayor?" one attendee asked. "I actually don't," Lauf responded. When asked about her precinct, Lauf said, "I just, I actually moved from, so I was originally at 305 in Naples." She was also unable to name her county commissioner, school board member, or the two at-large school board members. Eddie Stokes, a Republican voter who attended the meeting, said, "I think those questions really tripped her up about naming those elected officials. When pressed if she knew the names of those elected officials, she could not name any of them." Voters who listened to the recording had strong reactions. One voter said, "I'm stunned on one hand, and I'm not really surprised." Another added, "I already had my mind made up. I wasn't going to vote for her anyway, but this would definitely reinforce my opinion." Lauf, who received an endorsement from President Donald Trump last week, declined an interview to discuss the recording. In a statement, she said, "I did not consent to being recorded. I am currently discussing potential legal action with my counsel. This occurred in a private forum where I was deliberately ambushed." She described the incident as a "gotcha moment," saying, "It doesn't encourage transparency—it destroys trust." Eddie Stokes disagreed, saying, "I don't think BUPAC is a setup. Candidates go in there with the anticipation they will get asked those difficult questions." The president of BUPAC stated that the organization has no policy against recording and noted that meetings are often recorded, meaning there is no expectation of privacy. Lauf has declined multiple requests in recent weeks for interviews with Gulf Coast News. 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.