Naples CEO behind $1.3B firm to run for Congress

NAPLES — Prominent Naples businessman, philanthropist and Republican political donor Francis Rooney, former Ambassador to The Holy See and CEO of Rooney Holdings, will run for Congress.

Rooney seeks the District 19 seat being vacated by U.S. Rep Curt Clawson, R-Bonita Springs. Clawson recently announced he will not run for re-election. Chauncey Goss, who ran an unsuccessful bid for the seat in 2012, has also announced he will run for District 19, which stretches from Marco Island to Fort Myers.

“I have given much thought to public service and how I could help others by making use of my successful record in business, my life-long commitment to conservative values and my deep involvement in community causes,” Rooney says in a statement. “Washington is broken, and I have the skills and experience needed to challenge the status quo, bring people together and get things done.”