As the father of a blended family, Christopher Bradford knows how to bring people together.
Bradford, 43, moved to the San Lorenzo Valley after meeting his now wife, Antonia, in 2016. They were married in 2018, and in 2020, disaster struck his newfound home when the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire tore through their neighborhood and decimated their property.
The Bradfords’ efforts to rebuild their home have been met with red tape, delays and unnecessary complexity from the county. So, when Bradford learned that Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson was planning to step down after eight years at the helm of local government, he knew he had to make his move—he had to run for the seat.
On July 23, Bradford officially kicked off his campaign on Karla DeLong’s enchanting property in Ben Lomond, surrounded by family, friends and sturdy green stalks topped with bright dahlias. The announcement not only came from the heart, but was unveiled at a site that also lost so much to the fire.
DeLong’s Beeline Blooms is a sunny, hilltop sanctuary that used to be shrouded in the shade of redwoods and is now a place for gratitude, introspection and peace—all crucial elements of Bradford’s own attempt to help guide the Fifth District to a new level of service for the residents of San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley.
“I’ve long been engaged in politics, just not as a candidate,” Bradford said.
He’s raised money for other candidates and thrown his weight behind measures that speak to his ethics, including 1994’s Proposition 187, which would have made it difficult for the children of immigrants to attend college. Even then, at age 14, Bradford knew he needed to advocate for others, and he’s used his voice ever since to take care of his neighbors.
“If you don’t speak up, you’re not going to have a seat at the table,” he said. “The people who organize are the people who get taken care of. If you don’t participate, it’s easy to get overlooked, because if people don’t know your needs, they can’t meet them.”
He said the impact of the CZU Fire was a catalyst for his decision to run, but other local issues contributed to his choice.
“I saw that there was a huge gap between what we needed from county government and what we were receiving. If I see a problem, I search for a solution,” said Bradford, who is also involved in the community response to the Big Basin Water Company debacle. “Someone needs to stand up for those who need that support.”
Having started, owned and managed multiple businesses, Bradford knows how important leadership, communication and transparency are for a successful entry into the political field of play.
“I’ve learned how to be collaborative and get buy-in from people so that we can all move in the same direction, even if we have disparate backgrounds and complicated needs. My desires aren’t political, they’re communal, and politics are a means to that end. I want to effect change for the people of our community,” he said.
That refrain was a welcome one at the campaign kickoff.
Angie Pennington from Scotts Valley has known Christopher and Antonia for several years. Pennington attended the launch and is eager to support Bradford’s candidacy.
“I feel like there are a lot of needs in both SLV and Scotts Valley that haven’t been addressed, and Christopher is a doer. He’s ready to tackle challenges and fix problems, and I love that he is from SLV and ready to represent our community,” Pennington said. “From losing their home to creating a fire community of survivors, his family has been through a lot. Christopher’s hands-on experience and can-do attitude will be a welcome asset.”
For her part, DeLong, who has known Bradford for nearly 20 years, was thrilled to open her farm up to Bradford’s effort.
“I want the community to come together in a way that’s been missing since the fire—and the pandemic,” said DeLong. “For me, it’s an open-ended effort to find benefit in spending time together. Our lives have been traumatic and sad since CZU, and it’s a pleasure to gather people together again. As a fire survivor, Christopher understands how hard these things are, and how our community overlaps in times of need. If someone from our area can bring that information from local residents to higher levels of government, let’s do it.”
Boulder Creek’s Karen Anderson lost her home in the CZU Fire and has been wrapped up in red tape from the county; she and her husband haven’t yet broken ground on their new home after almost three years of being displaced.
The couple and their son have been living in a rental in Woodside since the fire destroyed their home, but with State Farm no longer paying their rent, the Anderson’s purchased a fifth wheel and will be moving it onto their property for the foreseeable future, pending permit approval by the county.
“Most people don’t know that we still have to make our mortgage payments, so we don’t have extra resources,” said Anderson, recounting the issues her family has had with the county, and specifically with the current supervisor. “McPherson seemed to be a roadblock for so many people, even people who met with him personally.”
Asked if she had met with him face-to-face, Anderson demurred. “Other people weren’t getting anywhere with him, so I felt like, why bother?”
Anderson appreciates that Bradford has a business and personal perspective behind his candidacy.
“So many candidates have one or the other, but Christopher can grasp and relate to the issues and have compassion is powerful and unique,” she said.
Alison Breeze is a China Grade resident whose home survived, but she carries the scars of what happened to her community. Breeze has worked with Bradford on issues regarding home hardening and community activism around the Big Basin Water Company, and Breeze is excited about his candidacy.
“Christopher saw that the community needed help, and after seeing what his family and neighbors endured, he wanted to make a difference. He’s not a politician who is trying to advance a political agenda—he sees a need and is eager to help the community,” Breeze said. “He’s intimately aware of what his community is experiencing, and how he can make a difference. It’s probably a thankless job, but he’s stepping up to give back.”
Interested in learning more about Bradford’s candidacy and platform? Visit bridgingthemountain.com.
