Election 2026 | Question of the Week 7, District 4
Each week through the General Election, The Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question. In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of space, about 100 words, for their response.
Cape Coral City Council races are non-partisan races. Council members qualify in their respective districts but are elected at-large. This means all registered city voters may cast a ballot in each race regardless of where they live and the party to which they are affiliated, if any. This year’s General Election, on Nov. 3, features four Cape Coral City Council races: Mayor and the seats for District 1, 4 and 6.
Question of the Week: What message did voters send in the Aug. 18 Primary? What is your response?
The following candidates are running for Cape Coral City Council set for District 4:
• Jennifer Nelson-Lastra (I)
The message from voters on Aug. 18 was clear: They want to be heard. The results demonstrated that residents are paying attention and expect their elected officials to listen, engage, and respond. Look at the issues where residents didn’t feel heard: Jaycee Park, stipend, and rowing club are prime examples.
I make it a point to respond to residents during Citizens Input, phone calls, private messages, social media tags, and face-to-face meetings. I may not always agree, but I believe every resident deserves to be heard and respected.
Not everyone on my Council approaches constituent engagement the same way. I believe listening to the people we represent isn’t optional, it’s part of the job.
• James Vargas
The voters of Cape Coral sent a clear message on Aug. 18. They are ready for change. When an incumbent mayor is voted out in the primary, we should listen. The status quo has been challenged, and residents are demanding accountability, transparency and leadership that puts them first. The people are paying attention, getting involved and making their voices heard at the ballot box. My response is simple: I hear you. If elected, I will never forget who I work for, and that is the residents of Cape Coral.