Julian Bradley (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julian Bradley
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| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 28th district |
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| Assumed office January 4, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Dave Craig |
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| Born |
Marc Julian Bradley
February 11, 1981 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residences | New Berlin, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Temple University University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (BS) |
| Occupation | politician, businessman, professional wrestler |
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Julian Bradley, born on February 11, 1981, is an American businessman and politician. He is a member of the Republican Party. Since 2021, he has served in the Wisconsin Senate. He represents the 28th Senate district. Julian Bradley is the first Black Republican to serve in the Wisconsin Senate. He is also only the second Black Republican to serve in the entire Wisconsin Legislature.
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Julian Bradley's Early Life and Career
Julian Bradley was born in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was 11 years old, in 1992, he moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, with his mother. He was interested in politics from a young age.
After finishing high school in 1999, he faced a challenge. His mother was not well, and he needed to earn money. He decided to follow another passion: professional wrestling. He went to "wrestling school" in Philadelphia. On August 28, 1999, he made his wrestling debut. He used the name Kris Krude.
After a few years in Philadelphia, he went to Temple University. However, he only stayed for one year. In 2007, he stopped professional wrestling. He returned to Wisconsin to finish his college degree. He studied at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. While in college, he started working for a phone company called CenturyLink. He graduated in 2014 with a degree in political science and economics. By 2017, he had become a manager at CenturyLink. In 2019, he became a manager at Northwestern Mutual. This job required him to move to Franklin, Wisconsin.
Julian Bradley's Political Journey
In 2002, Julian Bradley decided he was a Republican. This decision came after a talk with his mother. He has often said this was a very important moment in his life.
First Attempts at Public Office
His first try for an elected position was in 2010. He ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly. However, he lost in the Republican primary election. Even after losing, he kept working with the Republican Party of Wisconsin. He volunteered and helped organize events. During this time, he met Bill Feehan.
In 2011, Bill Feehan wanted to become the chairman of the La Crosse County Republican Party. He asked Julian Bradley to be his vice chair. Bradley agreed, and they were both elected. Less than a year later, Feehan left to run for the State Senate. Julian Bradley was then chosen to take his place. He was the chairman of the La Crosse County Republican Party from 2011 to 2014. He stepped down in 2014 to try for elected office again.
In 2013, he was also chosen as the vice chair for the state Republican Party. This was for the 3rd congressional district. This role made him a member of the state party's main committee. Also in 2013, he was named "grassroots activist of the year" by Right Wisconsin.
Running for Secretary of State
In 2014, he ran for Secretary of State of Wisconsin. This time, he won the Republican primary election. However, he lost the main election to Doug La Follette. La Follette had been the Secretary of State for 32 years. Even though Republicans won most other statewide offices that year, Bradley did not win.
Becoming a State Senator
After moving to Franklin in 2019, Julian Bradley became active in politics again. In 2020, he announced he would run for State Senator. The current senator, Dave Craig, was not running again. Four other people also ran in the Republican primary for this senate seat. This district was known to be a strong Republican area.
Julian Bradley stood out because he had strong support from other Republicans. Two assembly members from the district, Ken Skowronski and Chuck Wichgers, supported him. Former Republican governor Scott Walker also supported him. Bradley won the primary election with 40% of the votes. He then won the general election against Democrat Adam Murphy. He received almost 60% of the votes.
In 2024, new district maps were created for Wisconsin. These new maps moved Julian Bradley's home out of the 28th Senate district. However, he has said he plans to move so he can still live in the district. This way, he can run for re-election in 2024.
Julian Bradley's Family Life
Julian Bradley is the youngest of three children. He lives in New Berlin, Wisconsin.
