Bridge Pledge is a civic innovation designed to measurably reduce political polarization. Bridge Pledge is a cross-partisan citizen alliance of voters who are united, as a swing bloc, to elect candidates (of any party) who are the most objectively suitable to represent the common interests of our eclectic population.

There are two fundamental pillars to Bridge Pledge:

Part one is Bridge Grade. Bridge Grade is a data-oriented, transparent, independently governed sorting mechanism that scores politicians on their ability to bridge America. Bridge Grade offers a letter grade (A, B, C, F) to identify “bridgers” from “dividers” based on observable behaviors including bill authoring, voting records, public statements, public appearances, funding sources, and ultimately their effectiveness in seeking pragmatic legislative solutions through demonstrating collaboration, consensus-orientation, and coalition-building. Bridge Grade does NOT care about ideology, nor does it reward centrists. We believe that a wide distribution of thought makes us strong, but only to the extent our leaders can sit with, listen to, and collaborate with those with opposing views. Bridge Grade identifies such leaders.

Part two is Bridge Pledge. Bridge Pledge is a cross-partisan citizen voting alliance of everyday people who commit to each other, through a pledge, to always vote for the highest-graded candidate – regardless of the political party or ideology of either the candidate or the voter. As a swing bloc, we are aligned to elect the most mature and thoughtful leaders to represent our eclectic society, and we believe the best common sense solutions in the broader interest of the public come from collaboration, consensus, and coalition-building. As Pledgers, we maintain our own individual ideological beliefs, yet are aligned in the common benefit of electing the most collaborative all-star team of representatives from both parties. 

Bridge Pledge, launching in mid-2024, aims to:

1. release a tested version of the Bridge Grade for the 2024 election cycle and

2. attract a first wave of citizen voters interested in a new way forward.

Our ambition is to make a measurable impact on the 2026 midterm elections and grow our alliance, over time, to increase power and influence as a voting bloc that rewards leaders brave enough to lead pragmatically in the face of partisan and big-money interests.

Project Director Bio:

After 25+ years helping lead consumer technology companies, including 14 years living and working abroad (Singapore, Amsterdam), Brad Porteus returned to America in 2024 alarmed by the headwinds our country faces due to deeply entrenched political polarization and identity politics. Convicted that emerging technology and data science can be used for good, Brad recognized that for the first time, it has become technically possible to objectively sort politicians on a new dimension and identify leaders (using objective measures and data) to spot all-star collaborators from both parties who are the most suitable to lead our deliciously eclectic population. His vision is to inspire everyday Americans to drop their identity politics and unite together through a voting pledge into a swing voting bloc that commits to electing the best bridgers from any party. A new entrant to bridging, Brad brings curiosity, an outside-in perspective, technical savvy, naivete, and a vast network of allies to this civic innovation.

Married and a father of two young men, Brad lives in Redwood City, California, and enjoys timelapse photography, trail running, and taking neighborhood walks with the family cat.