Zika has a great story to tell and now he hopes the voters embrace it
This week I spent some time talking with Ardian Zika who is running for the Republican nomination for the Florida State House of Representatives representing District 37. In my conversation with him, he spoke about how proud was of his long journey to the United States from Kosovo and how through hard work he was able to achieve the American Dream.
He is a proud family man, married to wife Tasha for twelve years and the couple has five children, Natalie, Riley, Jed, Zachary, and William. Zika, is the President and CEO of Guardian Street, LLC., a strategic business advisory practice specializing in small and medium size commercial and industrial middle market companies
So, while Zika’s story is both compelling and inspiring he finds himself in a three-way battle to win the Republican nomination for the seat that was held by one of the state’s most powerful politicians, former Speaker of the Florida House Richard Corcoran who is leaving due to term limits. So, that means Zika will have best both Elle Rudisill, and Ryan Patrick Boney to secure the nomination.
Zika is an old school politician who knocks on doors, walks through neighborhoods, and has worn out the souls of his boots twice. But his “boots on the ground” door to door campaign has covered much of District 37 as he has spoken to voters from the Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes tracking west in Pasco County to Little Road. and everywhere in between.
His message to each person he has met along the way has always been a positive one that he believes America is an exceptional country that his proud to call his home.
There is little doubt that he is a conservative Republican running for the Florida House of Representatives and with his key priorities are focusing on Education, Economy, and the Environment.
But while those are great talking points that he clearly believes in I wanted more details and he was more than happy to answer my questions.
Williams: You have a strong background in education. What are some of the most pressing educational improvements that you feel can benefit the state of Florida?
Zika: Education is the single most important ingredient to any society and there is a direct correlation between strong education policy and the strong economy. As a father of five young children education is very important. I will tirelessly work to ensure that our children receive a world-class education through school choice. School choice empowers families and students and that is very important. We must also reduce the cost of higher education and start heavily focusing on vocational training to meet the workforce demands of the community. These aren’t new issues to me. I’ve been working on them during my service on the Pasco Education Foundation Board of Directors and Pasco-Hernando State College Board of Trustees.
That’s why I’m humbled to receive the endorsement of a former and current Pasco Schools Superintendent and two current school board members. And, I’m humbled to have the endorsement of Associated Builders & Contractors, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter and the Florida Chamber of Commerce because they share my view that Florida education must be world class so our children and our workforce have the skills they need to keep our state economically vibrant and strong.
Williams: On the law and order side of things – What will you do to help local police and the communities work together so that there is a mutual respect for both sides?
Zika: Our law enforcement community is a strong community partner. I’ll work closely with them and encourage our community to stand with our law enforcement and first responders. I will tirelessly work to provide the tools and resources law enforcement and our first responders need to keep our community safe and secure.
Sheriff Chris Nocco is a strong leader and I’m very proud of his leadership in our community and honored to have his endorsement. I’m also honored to have the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police – Pasco Chapter, West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association and Tampa Police Benevolent Association. The men and women who wear the badge risk their lives daily to keep our community safe and I am humbled by their support of my campaign.
Williams: You understand business – What do you hope to do to help bring new business to both your district as well as the state of Florida?
Zika: I will work tirelessly to grow our economy. As a small business owner, it’s very important that Pasco and Florida remain business friendly and a place where you can start and grow your business. Recruiting new jobs to Pasco is very important to ensure economic growth. A combination of strong education policy and strong economic policy creates an environment for businesses to grow. The Cybersecurity sector is a real opportunity to attract new companies and high paying jobs to Pasco. My experience in the private sector will be very helpful as we work to attract new jobs to Pasco.
I’m humbled to have the endorsement of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida, the National Federation of Independent Businesses FL PAC (small business community) and other endorsements from the business community. I’ve also had the pleasure of serving as a member of the Dade City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, YMCA Trinity Advisory Board, and the YMCA Zephyrhills Advisory Board.
So, this time next week will see if Zika’s American Dream and his always positive attitude about life will translate into to a win at the polls. Win or lose I have a feeling that Zika’s passion for his city, his state, his new country and now politics is not going away anytime soon.
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