Charlie Hardy (born 1939) is an American former Catholic priest, educator, writer, and speaker. He has run for office as a Republican and Democrat in several elections in the state of Wyoming.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][2][8][9][10][11][12][12][13][14]
His 2014 senate campaign is the subject of the 2017 documentary film Charlie vs Goliath.
Early life and education
editHardy was born in 1939[15] in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[citation needed] His parents were immigrants from Austria.[16] He has four sisters.[17]
He received a BA in Philosophy from St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado. He then received a MA in Religious Education from St. Thomas Seminary. He received a MA in Education Administration from the University of Wyoming. He received a BA in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America.[18]
Work
editHardy was a Catholic priest for 29 years in parishes in Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs, and Casper.[19] He was superintendent of Wyoming Catholic schools.[citation needed]
From 1982 to 1993, Hardy was a missionary in South America, living for eight years in a cardboard-and-tin shack on the outskirts of Caracas.[20]
During the 1989 Venezuelan revolution.
In 1994, Hardy left the priesthood to marry Susana Gonzalez. From the marriage, he has a stepson. They divorced six years later.[17]
In 2007, Hardy published the book Cowboy in Caracas: A North American’s Memoir of Venezuela’s Democratic Revolution with Curbstone Press. The book details his experiences in Venezuela. Saul Landau called the book “an antidote to the poisonous US government mantra against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Ironically, Cowboy isn't about Chávez, but about the exciting processes he has helped initiate and about the awakening of Venezuela 's poor whom the US media neglects.”[21]
Since then, he has had many different jobs, including testing those on board over 200 oil tankers, cargo ships, and platforms Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean for the use of drugs.[22]
In 2011, he returned to living in Wyoming.[23] In 2012, he started working as a substitute teacher for junior high and high schools in Cheyenne.[24]
He has traveled over a million miles on Wyoming highways, but has also visited all 50 of the United States and over 30 countries worldwide—to listen to the ordinary person.[25]
Political career
editHardy first had the idea to run for office after completing a 10-day retreat in which he took a vow of silence, only talking for an hour per day with a priest.[17] Upon his return to Wyoming, he was shocked at the conditions of the state's working poor.[26]
2012
editIn 2012, Hardy decided to run as an independent in the election for Wyoming's at-large congressional district. To get on the ballot, he needed 3,746 signatures, so he and 100 volunteers went door to door gathering signatures. The effort feel short by a few hundred signatures.[17]
2014
editIn 2014, Hardy ran in the United States Senate election in Wyoming. He traveled around Wyoming in a repurposed 1970 Crown school bus with a small team of young volunteers.[17]
“We in Wyoming are the most politically powerful people in the United States,” “We have two senators and a representative, and we are a small number of people, so we can get in and meet with them.”[17]
During his campaign, Hardy supported abortion rights, equal pay for women - with the gender wage gap in the state being the second highest in the country according to the American Association of University Women, legalizing state same-sex marriage in the state, and raising the minimum wage.[17]
He defeated Al Hamburg, Rex Wilde and William Bryk in the Democratic primary, but he was defeated by Enzi in the general election.[27][28]
Hardy raised approximately $50,000, mostly from people he knew. Enzi raised more than $3 million.[29]
After his loss, Hardy stated that he believed that campaign finance reform in the form of federal funding for elections could have helped him win.[30]
2016
editIn 2016, Hardy ran as Democrat for Wyoming's at-large congressional district. He was defeated by Ryan Greene in the Democratic primary on August 16, 2016.[31]
Liz Cheney won the Republican primary[32] and would go on to win the seat.[33]
2018
editIn 2018, Hardy switched parties from Democrat to Republican in order to run in the Senate primary against John Barrasso. He changed parties after becoming pessimistic that a Democrat could win in heavily Republican state like Wyoming. He called himself "Eisenhower Republican", referring to President Eisenhower, who warned against spending too much on the military industrial complex in his farewell address.[34]
During his campaign, Hardy advocated for universal health coverage and a major increase in the federal minimum wage.[35]
In a Q&A with Casper Star-Tribune, Hardy described healthcare costs, college debt, the difficulty of receiving a living wage from a 40-hour workweek, getting "big money out of politics", and focussing on peace building rather than further continuing the military-industrial complex as the most pressing issues for Wyoming and the United States.[25]
He called for decisions to be made on the local level as much as possible and that states should be consulted in how federal lands are administered but local politicians don't have final say.[25]
He lost in the Republican primary on August 21, 2018.
He dropped out of the race and endorsed David Dodson in his bid against incumbent, John Barrasso.[36]
Charlie vs Goliath
editDirected by Reed Lindsay. The film follows Hardy and his team of four volunteers as their campaign tour makes its way around Wyoming, from the Tetons to Casper.[37][38][39][40][39][41][42][43]
The film premiered at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February 2017.[44] It also screened at the Sun Valley Film Festival.[45]
The film had its broadcast premiere on the PBS program America ReFramed on October 30, 2018.[46]
Personal life
editHardy has jogged 3 miles a day for over 30 years. He credits his good health to running.[4]
Electoral history
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Charlie Hardy | 7,200 | 47.7% | |
| Democratic | Rex Wilde | 3,012 | 20% | |
| Democratic | Al Hamburg | 2,988 | 19.8% | |
| Democratic | William Bryk | 1,670 | 11.1% | |
| Write-in | 216 | 1.4% | ||
| Total votes | 15.086 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Enzi* | 121,554 | 72.19% | −3.44 | |
| Democratic | Charlie Hardy | 29,377 | 17.45% | ||
| Independent | Curt Gottshall | 13,311 | 7.90% | ||
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 50–60%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ryan Greene | 10,955 | 53.17 | |
| Democratic | Charlie Hardy | 7,868 | 38.18 | |
| Democratic | Write-ins | 113 | 0.55 | |
| Democratic | Undervote | 1,654 | 8.03 | |
| Democratic | Overvote | 15 | 0.07 | |
| Total votes | 20,605 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Barrasso (incumbent) | 74,292 | 64.76% | |
| Republican | Dave Dodson | 32,647 | 28.46% | |
| Republican | John Holtz | 2,981 | 2.60% | |
| Republican | Charlie Hardy (withdrawn) | 2,377 | 2.07% | |
| Republican | Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente | 1,280 | 1.16% | |
| Republican | Anthony Van Risseghem | 870 | 0.7% | |
| Write-in | 267 | 0.23% | ||
| Total votes | 114,714 | 100% | ||
References
edit- ^ "Fake news, endangered butterflies, a quixotic run, challenging shorts - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
- ^ a b "Charlie Hardy: The Bernie-Like Candidate Running in Wyoming". 13 August 2016.
- ^ BARRON, JOAN (5 February 2014). "Democrat Charlie Hardy says he's a serious candidate for Wyoming U.S. Senate seat". The Billings Gazette.
- ^ a b "Running with Charlie Hardy".
- ^ "Ex-Catholic priest takes on corporations".
- ^ "A Hardy Welcome: Wyoming's U.S. Senate Challenger Rages Against the Money Machine". 26 August 2014.
- ^ "Wyoming Democrats find themselves at historic low point". 28 January 2014.
- ^ "Charlie Hardy on Principles & Values".
- ^ "Charlie Vs Goliath".
- ^ "Charlie vs Goliath: A Wyoming political documentary". 17 November 2017.
- ^ "Charlie Hardy Drops Out of Senate Race". 21 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Senate Tracker: Retired Catholic Priest Challenges Incumbent". October 2014.
- ^ "Charlie Hardy Switches Parties to Run in Wyoming Senate Race". K2 Radio. 29 May 2018.
- ^ Funk, Joel (June 2018). "Charlie Hardy enters Wyoming Senate race as a Republican". Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
- ^ "'Charlie vs Goliath': Meet the former Catholic priest battling to get corporate money out of politics | The Independent". Independent.co.uk.
- ^ HANCOCK, LAURA (October 25, 2014). "Two days on the bus: Frugal Hardy scraps together campaign in daunting senate bid". Casper Star-Tribune.
- ^ a b c d e f g Forde, Kaelyn (2014-10-23). "Running With Charlie Hardy". Al Jazeera America. Archived from the original on 2015-08-08. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "Charlie Hardy".
- ^ Hancock, Laura (2016-05-22). "Charlie Hardy to run for Congress". Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "Cowboy in Caracas, by Senate candidate Charles Hardy (D-WY)".
- ^ "Charlie Hardy on the Venezuelan Revolution". 17 November 2010.
- ^ "Hardy makes new bid to represent Wyoming". 10 August 2016.
- ^ "Hardy makes new bid to represent Wyoming". 10 August 2016.
- ^ Holtz, John (2018-08-01). "In their own words: U.S. Senate". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ a b c "In their own words: U.S. Senate". Casper Star-Tribune Online. August 2018.
- ^ BREEDING, ROB (August 10, 2016). "Hardy makes new bid to represent Wyoming". Cody Enterprise.
- ^ GRUVER, MEAD (August 19, 2014). "Lummis, Enzi win GOP primaries for Congress". Casper Star-Tribune.
- ^ "Enzi Defeats Hardy for Wyoming Senate". 4 November 2014.
- ^ Kerstetter, Andy (July 15, 2024). "Ketchum filmmaker wants to take latest documentary on the road". Idaho Mountain Express Newspaper.
- ^ "Charlie Hardy Says Campaign Finance Reform Could Have Helped Him Win". 5 November 2014.
- ^ "Wyoming Election Results 2016: Dates, Analysis, Schedule, Overview, Complete Updates - POLITICO". Politico.
- ^ Hackman, Michelle (23 August 2016). "Liz Cheney Wins Wyoming GOP Primary for U.S. House Seat". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Rahman, Rema (November 9, 2016). "Liz Cheney Wins Wyoming House Seat". Roll Call.
- ^ "Wyoming candidate switches parties to challenge GOP senator". 29 May 2018.
- ^ "Wyoming candidate switches parties to challenge GOP senator". Associated Press News. 29 May 2018.
- ^ "Senate challenger Charlie Hardy drops out, endorses Dodson". 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Wyoming to premier Charlie vs Goliath". 24 November 2017.
- ^ "NW Alliance for Alternative Media & Education presents: CHARLIE VS. GOLIATH w/ Post-Film Q&A | OlympiaFilmSociety.org". olympiafilmsociety.org.
- ^ a b "Charlie vs. Goliath - Cheyenne Premier".
- ^ Kerstetter, Andy. "Ketchum filmmaker wants to take latest documentary on the road". Idaho Mountain Express Newspaper.
- ^ https://www.nyu.edu/washington-dc/nyu-washington--dc-events/charlie-vs--goliath-.html
- ^ "Documentary Review: "Charlie vs. Goliath" is an inspiring homage to underdog candidates". 3 February 2018.
- ^ "Charlie vs Goliath | Promo | America ReFramed".
- ^ "Meet the former Catholic priest battling to get corporate money out of politics". The Independent. February 6, 2017.
- ^ Kerstetter, Andy (2017-03-29). "Ketchum filmmaker wants to take latest documentary on the road". The Idaho Mountain Express. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ "Charlie vs Goliath | Trailer | America ReFramed".
- ^ "Democratic Candidates Official Summary" (PDF).
- ^ "Statewide Candidates Official Summary Wyoming General Election - November 4, 2014" (PDF). Wyoming Secretary of State. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
- ^ "Wyoming Secretary of State".
- ^ "Statewide Candidates Official Summary" (PDF).