Bradley to challenge Hafen for Nevada Assembly seat

Former law enforcement officer and board-certified addictionologist Dr. Joseph Bradley will be taking another shot at the Nevada Assembly District 36 seat, challenging appointed Assemblyman Greg Hafen II in the 2020 election.

Both Republicans and the only two candidates to publicly announce their intention to seek the office thus far, Bradley and Hafen will square off in the 2020 GOP primary.

In his first go-around in 2018, Bradley went up against then-incumbent James Oscarson and well-known brothel owner Dennis Hof in a Republican primary race that captured national attention.

“It was such a volatile, highly-contested race,” Bradley told the Pahrump Valley Times. “And as I was following it from the start, I noticed that I had no idea what anyone really stood for. I felt like an outsider watching and complaining about it. So my wife and I talked about it and we decided, it’s time for me to get in the game and make a difference. That’s why I ran in 2018.”

Bradley said he wanted to bring more attention to certain issues, such as the lack of services for addiction and mental health, particularly in Pahrump, and that desire has not changed.

However, the manner in which he approaches the 2020 election will change, as he noted that the 2018 election cycle was a big learning experience.

“I did not place enough value on early voting, because I am the kind of person who votes on Election Day. But by Election Day in 2018, a lot of people had already voted,” he explained. Bradley said he felt that if he had done a better job of pushing his campaign prior to early voting, he might have secured many more votes.

“Throughout the 2018 election, I saw that people really do not want to be treated as if they are not intelligent, they don’t want to be placated and told the same things over and over just for the ‘feel good.’ They want solutions. And it really was inspiring, so at that point, I had already committed to doing this again,” Bradley said, going on to assert, “This is the most conservative district in the state and right now, in my opinion, we have a moderate. I am a very conservative person. I am about small government and state rights. People need to be empowered to do for themselves even when they can get assistance from others.”

Turning to his opponent, Bradley took a moment to state, “I think it’s important for people to know, the lead Democrat in the state, Steve Sisolak, voted for Hafen to be the appointed, unelected representative. I think that says a lot.”

Bradley was referring to when now-Gov. Sisolak sat as a Clark County Commission member and voted in favor of Hafen’s appointment to the seat left vacant by the posthumously elected Hof.

Bradley also expressed his frustration over Hafen’s vote in favor of Assembly Bill 445 during the 2019 legislative session, remarking, “The tax hike really bothers me because he gave the Democrats a moral victory and made the tax increase, AB445, a bi-partisan victory.”

Bradley, who has signed the Nevada Taxpayer Protection Pledge, said he believes taxes, by and large, are making the people pay for the mistakes of bad leadership.

“If I buy a 16-ounce steak and eight ounces is fat, I bought an eight-ounce steak. And that’s what is occurring,” he stated. “The current Nevada legislation is pushing a lot of fat attached to the meat. We have this liberal agenda taking over our great state. This state used to be red! Then it started going a little purple but we are as blue as the ocean now! That is upsetting to me.”

Bradley remarked that he is also against red flag laws and universal background checks, stating that he believes Red Flag laws violate due process and universal background checks create an environment that allows infringement on privacy.

“Universal background checks wouldn’t have prevented any of these mass shootings,” Bradley proclaimed. “But it would unfairly allow the government to get more into looking at your background only because you want your constitutional, God-given right to protect and defend yourself. These are all knee-jerk, emotional, impulsive responses and they do not address the issue.”

Building families and communities that can trust and rely on one another is key, he said. “And we don’t do that by alienating people, causing separation and preventing rights. I don’t believe the government needs to be any more involved in our lives, they need to allow us to live our lives. We are capable.”

Bradley will be holding a dinner to formally announce his run for Assembly District 36 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The dinner will take place at the Pahrump Nugget Events Center. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information visit Bradley’s campaign website at www.doctorjbradley.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com