Election ’26 | Cape Coral City Council: District 1
The primary race for Cape Coral City Council District 1 includes four candidates. Cape Coral voters may cast a ballot in every council race in both the Primary and General Election no matter where they live in the city or their party of record.
Candidate name: Sean Hartman
Age: 35
Education/degrees: Bachelors in Integrated Studies, FGCU; Associates in Arts, FSW, 2013
Occupation and place of employment: Customer Service, Lee Health
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: 5
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Founder of the Cape Coral Watchdog, which reported on City Council operations.
Political Experience/offices held: None
Civic/Community involvement: Former chair, Community Development Block Grant Citizen’s Advisory Board
Family:
Military Experience:
Website:
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Candidate name: David Newton
Age: 54
Education: East Hampton High School
Occupation and place of employment: Retired
Time in the district in which you are running for: Over six years
Business experience: Police officer — worked with members of the community, helping them through difficult situations while listening carefully, showing empathy, and treating everyone with respect; learned the importance of gathering all the facts before making decisions that could significantly impact someone’s life. Was actively involved in the police union, serving on two committees, including the contract negotiation committee for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the sixth-largest police department in the nation.
Political Experience/ offices held: None
Civic/ Community involvement: As a police officer, I was deeply involved in the community, regularly visiting schools, participated in toy drives, community center events, and supported numerous charitable organizations. Since retiring and moving to Cape Coral, my wife and I have continued giving back including tree-planting projects in parks, charity events, and fundraising.
Family: I have an amazing wife and two wonderful daughters.
Military Experience: I served 7 years in the USAF. I served during Desert Storm and Desert Shield. I also participated in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.
Website: daveforcape26.com
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Candidate name: Thomas James Senatore
Age: 67
Education/degrees: AA Broward Community College, BA Florida Atlantic University, Paralegal Studies, w/Honors FDU, NJ
Occupation and place of employment: Retired, still acting as Broker of record and owner for Bella Casa Services LLC
Community involvement: Past Grand Knight – Knights of Columbus Council 7131, St Andrew Church
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: 7 years
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Real estate broker’s license with related licenses and certifications. Payroll, budgets, contracts, managed employees, coordinated large group events. Provided instruction and consulting to groups as many as 6,000 in attendance, ran educational courses, published a book on investing, created real estate training programs for other large entities.
Political Experience/offices held: Was involved in Student Government while in college all four years; first time running for any local office
Civic/Community involvement: Life Member 1st Marine Division Association; Member of the American Legion Post 90; Knights of Columbus, 3rd degree and 4th degree, Past Grand Knight; 2020 Knights of Columbus Field Agent; RPCRA Leadership Academy Graduate; helped to raise over $17k for the Cape Coral Caring Center 2018; helped with permitting approval and design for the Community Fridge; in my eighth year as a Cape Coral Police Volunteer, currently the unit supervisor and senior trainer; second term as Commissioner with Planning and Zoning, currently serving as the Vice Chair; second term on the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, currently serving as the Vice Chair;; 2026 Chairperson for Professional Standards for the RPCRA, over eight years on the committee
Family:
Military Experience: USMC 1981-1985, honorably Discharged
Website: tsenatore.com
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Candidate name: Tom Shadrach
Age: 67
Education/degrees: Master of Finance,St. Louis University; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Southeast Missouri State University
Occupation and place of employment: Currently Retired History: Program Management, The Boeing Company, St. Louis Missouri, 1980 – 2017
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: 8 years, all in District 1.
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Served as program manager at The Boeing Company. The Boeing Military Division primarily was a defense contractor with the United States Military. Responsible for leadership and budgetary performance for a $1.5 billion program with 500 employees. Prior experience at Boeing included Procurement, Contracts & Pricing, Business Management all in Management Positions, departmental responsibility for preparing and meeting budgets.
Political Experience/offices held: I ran for Mayor of Cape Coral in 2022
Civic/Community involvement: Member and Chair of the Cape Coral Budget Review Committee; member and past leader of the Knights of Columbus; president of my HOA in St. Louis; member of the Lee County Republican Executive Committee; member of the Cape Coral Republican Club; member of Moose Lodge 2395; member of Business People United for Political Action Committee (BUPAC)
Family: Married to Michele for 15 years; three grown children all having master’s degrees; nine grandchildren. My wife has three grown children and four grandchildren.
Military Experience:
I was not in the military, but was a military subcontractor for 37 years, producing military aircraft and other high-tech equipment and services. I held a Secret Clearance with the Government and had access to all US military bases around the world.
Website: tomshadrach.com