David Bradley
Beaumont Republican David Bradley, one of the State Board of Education’s most conservative members, announced Monday that he will not seek reelection Monday.
First elected in 1996, Bradley said he has gotten tired of rehashing old debates on the board and said it is time for someone new to take up the position.
“It’s the same debates. It’s the same arguments, and they come out with the same outcomes,” Bradley told the Houston Chronicle.
The businessman was an early supporter of charter schools and took pride in “pushing back against far-left political pressure to water down textbooks and academics,” he said in a statement. His tenure is laced with criticism from left-leaning groups for his staunch conservatism.
Bradley is about 96% terrible, and I’ll be glad to see him go. Open seats are always opportunities, but one should keep one’s expectations in line, because Bradley’s district was carried by Trump by a 59-37 margin. Which is closer than the 64-35 margin for Mitt Romney in 2012, but still not exactly swing territory. This might be a good opportunity for the Texas Parent PAC to find a non-terrible Republican for the primary, as a win there for someone who actually supports public schools and doesn’t want them teaching creationism or racist history would be nice. Bradley leaving is good, but only if the person who replaces him isn’t worse.