The field for Cape Coral mayor is filling up

CREATED Nov. 14, 2012 - UPDATED: Nov. 14, 2012

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  • A third man announcing his candidacy for mayor of SWFL's largest city. Video by fox4now.com

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CAPE CORAL, Fla. - The race for mayor of Southwest Florida's largest city is heating up.

Another candidate now now throwing his hat in the ring to be the mayor of Cape Coral.

Army reservist Vince Cummings now joins a veteran's advocate and a veteran of Cape Coral government in the run for the office.

"Since 9-11, I've given a significant amount of my time to active duty to include two major deployments, with one in Iraq," says Cummings. 

He also tells us he holds a Master's in Public Administration.
 
"I had the good fortune to serve as a volunteer intern with the town of Ft. Myers Beach," he adds.

Of course the budget is big for all the candidates.

"The first plank of my platform is finding inefficiency in spending," says Cummings. 

And founder of the National Coalition for Patriots -- Dan Ashby -- announced his candidacy in September.

"We need to get somebody in that's going to work well with the new city manager so that we can make a city budget that's going to last. It's not going to be a yearly vote... we can get a 3-5 year budget in place," Ashby told us in September.

Current mayor John Sullivan, elected in 2009, isn't worried the field is filling up.

"All I can do is wish these people the best. I intend to make the same commitments I did the last time: No new fees, taxes or assessments will I support," says Sullivan.

Mayor Sullivan is confident his accomplishments speak for themselves.

"We saved $54 million on the Pine Island Road expansion. We saved over $56 million by refunding bonds," he adds.

The mayor's also points out the local vendor preference ordinance he helped along.

Business is something Cummings tells us he'd champion as well. 

"We definitely need someone who has the charisma and savvy to work with the economic development office and the city manager," Cummings tells us. 

And, of course, veterans affairs are big for all the candidates.

The primary is September 10th of next year and the election November 5th.