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Tomorrow is the deadline to submit names for UDP Leadership candidates, and tonight we can report that the field has widened considerably. What was already a crowded three man race, how now turned into a five man race.  

President of the Senate Darrell Bradley put in his name yesterday, and, reliable reports say that three time Pickstock area representative Wilfred Elrington did so today.

Assuming no one drops out - which is a big assumption - in a five man race for the majority votes from 570 delegates, the winner would only need to get the support of 115 delegates.  

Of course, Darrell Bradley is an outlier, because, unlike the other candidates: Patrick Faber, John Saldivar, Omar Figueroa  and Wilfred Elrington - he does not have a seat. And the Prime Minister - whoever it is - has to be chosen from the House, not the Senate.

Well, when we met BRADLEY after the Senate meeting this afternoon, we asked him about his final decision to enter the race, and about that obvious limitation that he doesn't have an electoral division.  Here's how that conversation went:

 Hon. Darrell Bradley- Candidate, UDP Leader
"It is a very difficult decision. It is involving a lot of soul searching. There will be practical challenges because I am not an elected Area Representative; I do not hold a seat. There are certain disadvantages that naturally play. People will have questions about that. How do you want to be the leader of the party and you cannot even win a seat? That is a legitimate thing. I would have to respond to that. To those who would be delegates, I am mindful of the fact that that is going to be a difficult challenge; convincing individuals. But I genuinely feel that I have a voice to offer and there are certain things that must be said in relation to where we want our party to go and where we want our country to go. I may go into this election, it may naturally be a long-shot because there are other candidates, there are other candidates who are more well established than I. But I do believe that I have something to contribute to the dialogue, to the campaign and to the direction of the United Democratic Party."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, have you come up with an answer for that particular inquiry that you most certainly will encounter? You don't have a seat, so how do you make yourself more viable for the position given that most leaders of political parties have their own divisions that they are elected in."

Hon. Darrell Bradley
"I believe that life is about taking risks. Every part of my life I have taken certain opportunities when they seemed darkest. I know that that would be a challenge but I've given some reflection to that. And it would be for me to go to individual delegates and convince them that I can overcome that challenge. I do believe, though, that there are certain conversation points that need to be part our deliberation as a party. We are in need of a new direction, we are in need of change, we are in need of vision, we are in need of reform." 

We'll have more from Bradley in tomorrow's newscast. That's when we'll show you his response to the Audit by the Bernard Wagner City Council Administration, which suggests that City Hall incurred huge expenses it didn't have to when Bradley was Mayor.