Jay Bradford

Jay Bradford
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
In office January 8, 2001 – January 8, 2007
Preceded by	Pat Pappas
Succeeded by	Toni Bradford
Constituency	71st district (2001–2003) 18th district (2003–2007)
President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate
In office January 11, 1999 – January 8, 2001
Preceded by	Wayne Dowd
Succeeded by	Mike Beebe
Member of the Arkansas Senate
In office January 10, 1983 – January 8, 2001
Preceded by	Morrell Gathright
Succeeded by	Brenda Gullett
Constituency	28th district (1983–1993) 9th district (1993–2001)
Personal details
Born	Jacobs Turner Bradford (1940-04-30) April 30, 1940 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Resting place	Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Anne T. Bradford
Children	1
Alma mater	Subiaco Academy Henderson State University
Profession	Politician, insurance businessman

Jacobs Turner "Jay" Bradford (born April 30, 1940) is an insurance businessman and politician in Arkansas. He served in the Arkansas Senate 1983-2000 serving as President of the Arkansas Senate 1999-2000 and then served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2000 until 2007.

Biography

Bradford was born April 30, 1940 Little Rock, Arkansas to J. Turner Bradford and Chrystal Jacobs Bradford and was one of four children. When he was eight he and his siblings moved to live wit relatives in Paris, Arkansas after his mother died. He was educated in the Subiaco Academy followed by Henderson State University where obtained a bachelor's degree in economics and psychology in 1963.

He worked in insurance and was the founder and chairman of the First Arkansas Insurance Group as well as being president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas.

Bradford started his political career as an alderman in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Then he ran for a seat in the Arkansas Senate as a Democrat in 1982 and won, a position he would serve from 1983 to 2000 before being term limited out. Bill Clinton nominated Bradford as chairman of the Democratic Party in 1889 when Skip Rutherford resigned but in February the next year Bradford resigned to avoid a lawsuit for serving a dual role. In his final years in the senate he served as President of the Arkansas Senate in 1999/2000. He then served in the Arkansas House after running unopposed serving from 2000 until 2007. He has also been appointed as a state official and served as a state commissioner of insurance.

After his political career he returned to the insurance business. He is married to Anne T. Bradford, they have a child, and live in Pine Bluff.