Patricia Alice Bradford

Patricia Alice "Pat" Bradford is the Republican candidate for an at‑large seat on the New Hanover County Board of Education in the 2026 general election. The Board of Education is the elected governing body that sets policy, approves budgets, and oversees the operation of public schools in New Hanover County ⁸.

Bradford earned both a Bachelor of Arts (1980) and a Bachelor of Science (1983) from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina ⁸. She has spent 38 years working with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, first as a licensed broker and instructor and later in a corporate capacity, indicating extensive experience in regulatory and business environments ⁸.

Her community involvement includes membership in Global River Church (Prayer Ministry Team, Kingdom Women, Intercessory Prayer Team), First Fruit Ministries, Pine Valley Church of God, and participation in local outreach through Boots on the Ground. She is also active in political and professional groups such as Cape Fear Republican Women, New Hanover County Republican Women, and the Cape Fear Realtors Association ⁸.

Bradford previously sought elected office on the Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen in 2018, and now seeks a seat on the school board. In her candidate questionnaire she expressed strong pro‑life positions, stating that abortion providers should not be resources in schools and that human life is protected from conception ⁸. She supports religious liberty in schools, opposes discrimination based on belief about marriage, and believes students should be free to discuss matters of conscience, including Christianity. She disagrees with school‑based prayer bans and opposes mandatory experimental mRNA vaccinations for schools or employers ⁸.

Bradford has not held prior elected office, and her campaign disclosures list contributions to Republican candidates and organizations, as well as donations to her church and faith‑based political groups ⁸.

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