Joe Strada

Strada graduated from Lyman High School, according to Ballotpedia, and his campaign website says he took a job as a handyman at a bowling alley while still in high school.[2][3] He entered the skilled trades and, according to his campaign website, grew Strada Services from one van into a family-owned company serving communities across the country, which he says created thousands of jobs.[3] He says he invested in paid training programs so employees could learn a trade while earning pay, which is why workforce development, apprenticeships and career and technical education were central to his campaign.[3][2]

Ballotpedia lists Strada's profession as business, and he describes himself as a businessman and not a career politician.[2] He won the August 18, 2026 Republican primary for Florida's 11th District with 33.5% of the vote, ahead of Carey Baker (33.0%), Tim Wilkins, Nizam Razack and Ivette Palomo.[2] According to his campaign website, he campaigned on immigration enforcement, government accountability, term limits and workforce training.[3][2] He won the November 3, 2026 general election with 52.9% of the vote to James Pericola's 46%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[1] According to his campaign website, he and his wife raised their family in Central Florida, and he is a father and grandfather.[3]