First-Time Candidate With Independent Credentials Could Surprise U.S. Senate Race

image
Published: 04 Jun, 2018
1 min read

James Bradley freely admits he is a newcomer and an outsider to politics. Hence his low name ID.

So why then is he polling third as a first-time candidate for U.S. Senate?

A University of California, Berkeley poll released Friday has Bradley right behind Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Kevin De León.

It would be a remarkable achievement for a political novice to finish the U.S. Senate race in the top-two. Perhaps it speaks to California voters' thirst for change.

The "Independent Republican"

Bradley is a Coast Guard veteran, has multiple MBA's and is the CFO of a health care startup.

He's a believer in climate change who vehemently opposes California's "sanctuary state" movement. Ironically, the man just ahead of him in the polls, De León, authored SB 54. Bradley, who referred to himself as a longtime independent, said he registered as a Republican for the first time in March, because he said, the Democratic Party was no longer a viable option.

In the Berkeley poll, the 60-year-old Laguna Niguel resident and first-time candidate fell one point behind state Sen. Kevin de León in the battle for second place and a spot on the November ballot.

Click here to Listen to the Podcast:

You Might Also Like

Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting
Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting
The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD) has released what may be the most comprehensive empirical study of ranked choice voting ever conducted. The 66-page report analyzes nearly 4,000 real-world ranked ballot elections, including some 2,000 political elections, and more than 60 million simulated ones to test how different voting methods perform....
11 Dec, 2025
-
4 min read
California flag
Quirk Silva’s Exit Sparks a High-Profile Orange County Clash, Where Independent Voters Control the Math
California’s 67th Assembly District stretches across parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, connecting some of the region’s most dynamic and diverse suburban communities. It includes the entire cities of Cerritos, La Palma, Hawaiian Gardens, Artesia, Buena Park, and Cypress, as well as portions of Fullerton and Anaheim....
18 Dec, 2025
-
6 min read
Donald Trump
Trump Signs Order to Reclassify Cannabis to Schedule III
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration will officially move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, a decision that marks the most significant change to U.S. drug policy since the early 1970s....
18 Dec, 2025
-
2 min read