Jacob Ogles
Cape Coral Republican Bryan Blackwell picked up the endorsement of Cape Coral City Councilman John Gunter.
“Bryan Blackwell has the values and business acumen to move Cape Coral and the State of Florida in the right direction,” Gunter said.
“Our community does not have the infrastructure in place to keep growing at the pace we have been growing. I know we can count on Bryan Blackwell to get our fair share of critical infrastructure funding from Tallahassee so our community can continue to grow sustainably.”
The endorsement could be important support in Blackwell’s bid to succeed Rep. Dane Eagle in House District 77.
The city of Cape Coral makes up the vast majority of the district and is totally contained within the jurisdiction. City Council members are elected citywide.
Blackwell welcomed he support.
“I am humbled by the outpouring of support for our candidacy from such strong community leaders like Councilman Gunter,” Blackwell said.
“His leadership and governance are the reason why our community continues to be the best place in Florida to live, work, play and retire. Once elected, he and the people of District 77 can count on me to fight every day to keep it that way. I thank him for his support and look forward to serve the community beside him.”
Blackwell faces fellow veteran Mike Giallombardo in the primary. After a year in as chair of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, Blackwell has built up financial support in the region, but Giallombardo has looked for support within Cape Coral. That included Giallombardo getting backing from Eagle.
The heavily Republican district should be effectively decided in the GOP primary, though Democrat Joshua Lopez has also filed in the race.
Eagle won the district in 2018 with more than 63% of the vote over Democrat Alanis Garcia in 2018.
