Cape Coral mayor absent from public events and council meeting after election loss

Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter has been absent from public appearances and city council meetings since losing the primary election on Tuesday. Councilmember Joe Kilraine said the mayor is "fine" but appears to be handling personal matters. "He's just trying to take care of business on the side, I think," Kilraine said. Gunter missed Wednesday night's city council meeting, leaving the mayor's seat empty, and was also absent from Thursday's St. Jude Dream Home Showcase event in Southwest Cape Coral. A representative from the City of Cape Coral said the mayor's attendance at the event was previously cancelled. Kilraine suggested the mayor might need time to decompress after the election. "I've been on the losing end, and it's it's not a real happy time," Kilraine said. " keep things running. That's what you do." Councilmember Laurie Lehmann said she was informed by city administrative assistants on Wednesday that the mayor would not attend Thursday's event. "I know he's away on vacation right now, taking a break because he worked very hard at the polls," Lehmann said. Attempts to reach the mayor for comment have been unsuccessful, and council members said they do not know when he will return to city hall. 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