Congressional Candidate John Stroup No Stranger In These Parts

By James Jones---shurfine40@gmail.com

John Stroup was in Potter County over the weekend, talking to voters at the gun show at the Roulette Fire Hall, and again on Monday when he met with editor/publisher James Jones of "Solomon's words" for an interview at the Maple Tree Restaurant in Coudersport.

John was already there when I got there on Monday. He recognized me when I came in and after an amicable greeting, we sat down to talk over a cup of coffee. I had boned up on his website so I had an idea what he was all about and what he looked like so I could pick him out when I saw him. I have to say that he is a much more attractive man than his website pictures depict as you will notice in the pictures I took of him in Coudersport.John Stroup--Candidate for US Congress

Photo by James Jones for Solomon's words

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We spent nearly 2 hours together talking about the campaign, and discussing his feelings about different issues. I don't think his views are a whole lot different than most of the Republican candidates running for the congressional seat in the 5th District.

One important feature of his campaign is his effort to stop the tolling of Interstate 80. In the spirit of "I was country, when country wasn't cool", John was there fighting the tolls from the time that the state government came out with the idea.

As Mayor of Clarion, he immediately recognized the harm that would be done to the manufacturers in his area. The costs for a modular housing company to move their products would seriously impair their ability to continue to be competitive. He responded to that threat, and he along with Representative John Peterson have been fighting the toll idea ever since.

At this point in time, I think every candidate, and nearly every citizen of Central Pennsylvania has expressed their disdain to the tolling idea. It was an idea that would have devastated business and transportation in the middle of this great state.

Stroup has a good education, having earned an accounting degree from Slippery Rock University and a Masters in Business Administration from Clarion University. After several years working for HRB Singer in Washington, DC and Westinghouse in Pittsburgh as a cost analyst, he returned to Clarion where he grew up. He wanted his kids to grow up in the rural area he loved. He was an outstanding wrestler in his high school and college days, so it's not surprising he was ready to wrestle the powers that be in Harrisburg on the I-80 Toll idea.US Congress Candidate John Stroup pictured in Coudersport
Photo by James Jones for Solomon's words

Click picture to view full screen

When John returned to Clarion, he worked as sales manager for his family small business, Source, Inc. He called on building supply and home center stores like Close's Lumber in Roulette and Seal's Lumber in Coudersport to name a few, where he sold floor coverings. He was known in stores of this type, all over the area that the 5th District encompasses. He stressed the relationships established from those sales calls, help him to know the needs and strengths of the entire area, and the difficulties of running a small business in a rural area.

Stroup accepted an opportunity to become Executive Director of the Clarion Hospital Foundation, where he is involved in fundraising, grant writing and that type of thing. In the four years he has held that position, he has learned much about the problems of rural health care, trying to keep doctors and recruit more to practice in a rural setting. Pennsylvania is not particularly friendly to physicians and there is work needed to correct some of the problems that cause that.

John's family is familiar with public service. His wife is President of the local school board. He has worked with Congressman Peterson on a lot of issues and says he would work to earn the same respect from his constituents as the congressman has earned. He says he intends to make himself available to his home district to hear their needs. It is his love for rural America that motivated him to enter this congressional race.

Stroup was scheduled to speak at a forum in Wellsboro, Pa Monday evening. I hope he wasn't late. He was easy to talk to. A regular guy. We talked for two hours and I had the feeling we could have probably talked more. He is intelligent and articulate, and has the maturity and experience to make a good congressional representative for the 5th District.

To listen to John Stroup's radio spot.....http://www.friendsofjohnstroup.com/News/radio_ad1.html

For more information on John Stroup, his website is
http://www.friendsofjohnstroup.com/