Florida Hopeful Joe Strada Pushes Trade Schools After Building $500 Million Business
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 17
Florida Hopeful Joe Strada Pushes Trade Schools After Building $500 Million Business
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 17
Summary
Joe Strada, a Republican running in Florida’s 11th District, says Washington regulation and a lack of business-minded lawmakers drove him into politics after building an HVAC, electrical and plumbing company.
Roughly 4,000 employees across 13 states now work for Strada’s firm, which he says expanded only after he created its own training pipeline to overcome a labor shortage.
Trade schools sit at the center of his pitch: Strada says young people can earn from day one, avoid up to $250,000 in student debt and build long-term careers in the skilled trades.
If elected in three weeks, Strada would likely become the wealthiest person ever to serve in the U.S. House; he faces Democrat James Pericola in next month’s general election.
Strada frames the campaign around character as much as wealth, saying the 2018 killing of his son in Lake Mary remains his deepest personal motivation.