Bradley is coming back. Sources close to the former NM lieutenant governor report he is done licking his wounds from a brutal 2002 campaign for governor and will seek the Republican nomination for the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) seat being vacated by Herb Hughes. The Clovis native was pummelled in his fight for the GOP gubernatorial nomination last year by eventual winner John Sanchez in a race that left the GOP deeply divided. It's a division that continues to this day as we have extensively reported on this site. (see below) Bradley can expect to confront it again in the PRC contest.

One of his main rivals will be State Rep. Joe Thompson who is aligned with the John Dendahl-Mickey Barnett wing of the GOP. Bradley split with them and for good reason. In the closing days of the 02' campaign Sanchez unleashed attack TV on Bradley accusing him of being an ally of Democratic leader Manny Aragon. The charges were widely condemned by Republicans who said they were blatantly untrue and unnecessary. At the time Sanchez was way ahead in the polls. It took a while but Walter made the peace and embraced Sanchez as the Republican Guv nominee, but not warmly, and Sanchez lost to Big Bill in a low-turnout landslide.

Associates of Bradley, who served eight years under Gov. Johnson, say he's ready for it to get rough again. As one of them put it: "Walter has been through trial by fire. He wouldn't be surprised if his own grandmother went negative on him."

Well, if Walter's grandma is still alive I'm sure she would give him some notice. Bradley does not live in the ABQ PRC district but is moving to the district so he will be eligible to run for the job which pays over 90 grand a year. He is currently an assistant land commissioner in Santa Fe under Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons, who, like Bradley, is a former state senator.

Bradley received generally high marks as Light Guv. He balanced out Gov. Gary, who sometimes went over-the-top, and he presided over the senate with professionalism and authority. No doubt he would like to have another stab at the governor's chair, but a win of the PRC job is now essential or he will be labeled a two time loser. Other GOP possibles for the PRC seat are outgoing ABQ City Councilor Hess Yntema and ABQ attorney Ward Camp.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2003
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