Welcome

Ruth Hardy
Photo by Julie Ann Pixler


I’m Ruth Hardy, and I’m running for the Vermont Senate to represent all of Addison County, the Town of Huntington, and Buels Gore. I am running because I believe in hard work, community service, and responsive government.

I am a working mother who has served my community for the past 16 years, as a non-profit leader, dedicated volunteer, and elected school board member. I know how to work with diverse groups of people to get things done and make our communities better for everyone. I am committed to celebrating what we do well, and improving what we need to do better.

As a hard-working Democrat, passionate about helping others make their voices heard, I want to be an advocate for Addison County in Montpelier to help all of our neighbors have the opportunity to live, work, grow, and thrive here.

Meet Ruth

Ruth is a community leader and working mother of three children. She has spent her career working for good public policy, financially stable organizations, and opportunities for everyone to participate in democracy and community.

Get Involved

Ruth loves working with her neighbors to make things happen. If you are interested getting involved with Ruth’s campaign, you are in the right place. The campaign has lots of ways for you to contribute and make a difference!

Commitments

I am asking for your support, your vote, and your trust. This is no small request, and I want you to know that I will work hard to earn all three. I did this as a school board member, and I will do the same as a state senator.

Emily JoselsonI support the candidacy of Ruth Hardy, as I have long been impressed with Ruth’s intelligence, energy and commitment to our community, our state, and to the important issues facing us.

I have appreciated Ruth’s service on local school boards, including as Chair of the Mary Hogan School Board, Co-Chair of the Charter Committee which organized the unified Addison Central School District, and then on the new ACSD Board, including leading its finance committee. I know her background working at Middlebury College’s budget office helped her bring this expertise to her work in public service. I am grateful for her work as a grant-writer for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and as Director of the Addison County Open Door Clinic, providing free medical care to uninsured Vermonters.

Ruth currently serves as Executive Director of Emerge Vermont, which is “the state’s premier organization that recruits, trains and provides a powerful network to Democratic women who want to run for office.” Its candidate training program provides women with the skills they need to run successful political campaigns – at all levels of government. Emerge alumnae now hold seats in the Vermont House and Senate, as well as on local library and school boards. Ruth worked hard as campaign manager for Lindsey Fuentes-George’s successful run for Middlebury Selectboard, and I am thrilled that Lindsey is now a member of our town’s governing body.

Therefore, I was so pleased to learn that Ruth, herself, decided to run for higher office. She is smart, hardworking, experienced, and committed to service. We couldn’t be better represented in the State Senate. I urge everyone to learn more about Ruth Hardy, and to vote for her on Election Day.

– Emily Joselson is an attorney with Langrock, Sperry, & Wool LLP, who lives in Middlebury. This letter was published in the Addison Independent on September 20.

Emily Joselson

Joanna and RuthLike a lot of Addison County residents, I’ve been filled with dread and despair since the election of 2016. As a woman raising a daughter, seeing a self confessed sexual predator rise to the highest office in the land is a bitter pill to swallow. The ray of hope is that women, minorities and LGBTQ candidates have stepped up to run for office in unprecedented numbers, and they are winning!

Our local connection to these trailblazers is our very own candidate for Vermont state Senate, Ruth Hardy. Ruth is the executive director of Emerge Vermont, and she has trained dozens of Vermont women, many of whom are running in this year’s election.

I am so excited to be volunteering my time for the Ruth Hardy campaign, because I know that when it comes to issues that affect working families in Vermont, Ruth will work doggedly in Montpelier to make positive change. Rights and Democracy, Vermont’s statewide Progressive organization, has endorsed Ruth for State Senate because of her support for a livable wage, affordable childcare, paid parental leave and a healthy environment.

I know, from many deep conversations with Ruth, how much she cares about racial justice, and her years of service on our school board include spearheading the Anti-Bias Taskforce that has done important work to make our schools more inclusive and fair.

Finally, any letter about Ruth that failed to mention her skill with numbers and budgeting would be incomplete. Ruth’s geeky fascination with budgets of all kinds is positively legendary, and there is literally no other person I would trust as much as Ruth, to manage our tax dollars for the benefit of all Vermonters. Ruth’s sharp mind, loving heart and truly inspiring work ethic make her the leader Addison County deserves.

Please join me in voting for Ruth Hardy for Vermont State Senate.

Joanna Colwell owns Otter Creek Yoga, and lives in East Middlebury. This letter was published in the Addison Independent on Sept. 13.

Joanna Colwell