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| name=Paul Jude Hardy​

| name=Paul Jude Hardy​

| nationality=[[France-French]]-[[United States|American]]

| nationality=[[France-French]]-[[United States|American]]

| office=48th Lieutenant Governor of [[Louisiana​]]

| office=[[Louisiana]]'s 48th Lieutenant Governor]

| term_start=March 14, 1988​

| term_start=March 14, 1988​

| term_end= January 13, 1992​

| term_end= January 13, 1992​

In 1975, Hardy was elected, again as a Democrat, as the Louisiana Secretary of State,<ref name=whoswho/> an officer which supervises elections and legal document. Hardy attributed his election to his ability to speak fluent [[France|French]] in the Acadiana region. The secretary of state's post opened when the veteran [[incumbent]] Wade Omer Martin, Jr. (1911-1990),<ref name=athlete/> who was then a Democrat but later switched to the Republican Party after he had left elective politics, stepped down to launch an unsuccessful [[Governor|gubernatorial]] attempt against [[Edwin Edwards]] and a third candidate, state Senator [[Robert G. Jones]], a [[Lake Charles]] stockbroker and a son of former Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]] and another Democrat-turned-Republican. Hardy came from behind to beat his fellow Democratic opponent, State Representative [[P. J. Mills]] of [[Shreveport]]. In the primary, Mills had led with 49 percent of the vote. Hardy narrowly prevailed in the runoff—officially the [[general election]] in Louisiana. He polled 388,780 votes (51.5 percent) to Mills' 366,510 (48.5 percent).​ It was Mills' last campaign, but he was later chief of staff to Governor Roemer.

In 1975, Hardy was elected, again as a Democrat, as the Louisiana Secretary of State,<ref name=whoswho/> an officer which supervises elections and legal document. Hardy attributed his election to his ability to speak fluent [[France|French]] in the Acadiana region. The secretary of state's post opened when the veteran [[incumbent]] Wade Omer Martin, Jr. (1911-1990),<ref name=athlete/> who was then a Democrat but later switched to the Republican Party after he had left elective politics, stepped down to launch an unsuccessful [[Governor|gubernatorial]] attempt against [[Edwin Edwards]] and a third candidate, state Senator [[Robert G. Jones]], a [[Lake Charles]] stockbroker and a son of former Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]] and another Democrat-turned-Republican. Hardy came from behind to beat his fellow Democratic opponent, State Representative [[P. J. Mills]] of [[Shreveport]]. In the primary, Mills had led with 49 percent of the vote. Hardy narrowly prevailed in the runoff—officially the [[general election]] in Louisiana. He polled 388,780 votes (51.5 percent) to Mills' 366,510 (48.5 percent).​ It was Mills' last campaign, but he was later chief of staff to Governor Roemer.

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==Running for governor at 37==​

===Running for governor at 37==​=

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In 1979, Hardy ran for governor with the endorsement of former Governor [[John J.  McKeithen]] and won eighteen parishes in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]], but he missed securing a general election berth by 4 percentage points. Hardy finished in fourth place with 227,026 votes (16.6 percent). In a disputed third place was outgoing Lieutenant Governor [[Jimmy Fitzmorris]], of New Orleans, with 280,760 (20.6 percent). The general election would feature Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[David C. Treen]] , then of Jefferson Parish in suburban New Orleans, who drew 297,674 primary votes (21.8 percent). Treen narrowly won the governorship against the remaining Democratic candidate, [[Louis Lambert]] of Ascension Parish, with 283,277 (20.7 percent). Hardy hence lost a general election slot by some 56,000 votes. Fitzmorris filed suit in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, but Judge [[Douglas Gonzales]], a Republican, ruled that Fitzmorris failed to provide evidence that enough fraudulent votes were cast for Lambert to impact the outcome of the second-place candidacy.​

In 1979, Hardy ran for governor with the endorsement of former Governor [[John J.  McKeithen]] and won eighteen parishes in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]], but he missed securing a general election berth by 4 percentage points. Hardy finished in fourth place with 227,026 votes (16.6 percent). In a disputed third place was outgoing Lieutenant Governor [[Jimmy Fitzmorris]], of New Orleans, with 280,760 (20.6 percent). The general election would feature Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[David C. Treen]] , then of Jefferson Parish in suburban New Orleans, who drew 297,674 primary votes (21.8 percent). Treen narrowly won the governorship against the remaining Democratic candidate, [[Louis Lambert]] of Ascension Parish, with 283,277 (20.7 percent). Hardy hence lost a general election slot by some 56,000 votes. Fitzmorris filed suit in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, but Judge Douglas Marion Gonzales, a Republican, ruled that Fitzmorris failed to provide evidence that enough fraudulent votes were cast for Lambert to impact the outcome of the second-place candidacy.​

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Though he was still then a Democrat, Hardy endorsed Treen over Lambert. In 1978, he had supported the Republican [[Jimmy Wilson (politician)|Jimmy Wilson]], a former state representative from Vivian for Louisiana's 4th congressional district seat in Congress, rather than the successful Democrat, Anthony Claude "Buddy" Leac, then of Leesville in Vernon Parish and later of Lake Charles. In 1976, Hardy endorsed then [[U.S. President]] [[Gerald Ford]] over [[Jimmy Carter]], the Democratic former governor  of [[Georgia]], who won Louisiana's then ten electoral votes.<ref>''The Shreveport Times,'' November 20, 1979, p. 1B.</ref>​

Though he was still then a Democrat, Hardy endorsed Treen over Lambert. In 1978, he had supported the Republican [[Jimmy Wilson]], a former state representative from Vivian for Louisiana's 4th congressional district seat in Congress, rather than the successful Democrat, Anthony Claude "Buddy" Leac, then of Leesville in Vernon Parish and later of Lake Charles. In 1976, Hardy endorsed then [[U.S. President]] [[Gerald Ford]] over [[Jimmy Carter]], the Democratic former governor  of [[Georgia]], who won Louisiana's then ten electoral votes.<ref>''The Shreveport Times,'' November 20, 1979, p. 1B.</ref>​

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Thereafter, Treen, who narrowly defeated Lambert in the general election, appointed Hardy as Louisiana's secretary of transportation, serving with undersecretary [[Tom Colten]], the Republican former mayor of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]]. While there, he supervised the spending of a record $2 billion on highways.​<ref name=athlete/>

Thereafter, Treen, who narrowly defeated Lambert in the general election, appointed Hardy as Louisiana's secretary of transportation, serving with undersecretary [[Tom Colten]], the Republican former mayor of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]]. While there, he supervised the spending of a record $2 billion on highways.​<ref name=athlete/>

When Hardy vacated the secretary of state's position, the two top votegetters, [[Sandra Thompson]], then a Democrat but later a Republican and the director of the Atchafalaya Basin Culture, Recreation, and Tourism project, and State Senator [[James H. "Jim" Brown]], then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana, went into a general election showdown. Brown emerged a narrow winner.​

When Hardy vacated the secretary of state's position, the two top votegetters, [[Sandra Thompson]], then a Democrat but later a Republican and the director of the Atchafalaya Basin Culture, Recreation, and Tourism project, and State Senator [[James H. "Jim" Brown]], then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana, went into a general election showdown. Brown emerged a narrow winner.​

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==Republican lieutenant governor==​

===Republican lieutenant governor==​=

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Hardy switched parties and ran as a Republican in 1987 for lieutenant governor.  First though he was for two weeks in January 1987 a gubernatorial candidate once again. After intra-party rival, [[U.S. Representative]] [[Bob Livingston]] of suburban New Orleans, defeated Hardy by a five-to-one margin at a caucus straw poll in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Hardy said that he would not be a disrupting factor in the race. He therefore endorsed Livingston and incorrectly predicted that Livingston would be elected governor that year. Victory instead went to then Democrat Buddy Roemer.<ref>"[[William J. Guste|Guste]] bows out; Hardy jumps in," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]]'', January 7, 1987, p.1</ref><ref>"Hardy withdraws from governor's race,"''Minden Press-Herald,'' January 21, 1987, p. 1.</ref>​

Hardy switched parties and ran as a Republican in 1987 for lieutenant governor.  First though he was for two weeks in January 1987 a gubernatorial candidate once again. After intra-party rival, [[U.S. Representative]] [[Bob Livingston]] of suburban New Orleans, defeated Hardy by a five-to-one margin at a caucus straw poll in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Hardy said that he would not be a disrupting factor in the race. He therefore endorsed Livingston and incorrectly predicted that Livingston would be elected governor that year. Victory instead went to then Democrat Buddy Roemer.<ref>"[[William J. Guste|Guste]] bows out; Hardy jumps in," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]]'', January 7, 1987, p.1</ref><ref>"Hardy withdraws from governor's race,"''Minden Press-Herald,'' January 21, 1987, p. 1.</ref>​

After she left the office of lieutenant governor, Schwegmann switched to the  Republican Party. After a stint in the legislature, she attempted to regain the lieutenant governorship in the 2003primary but was badly defeated by  Democrat [[Mitch Landrieu]], brother of U.S. Senator [[Mary Landrieu]]. Jay Dardenne, like Hardy a former state senator and secretary of state, became the second Republican to hold the position of lieutenant governor, the winner of a special election in 2010 to succeed Mitch Landrieu, who was elected [[mayor]]  of New Orleans.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 2, 2010.</ref>  

After she left the office of lieutenant governor, Schwegmann switched to the  Republican Party. After a stint in the legislature, she attempted to regain the lieutenant governorship in the 2003primary but was badly defeated by  Democrat [[Mitch Landrieu]], brother of U.S. Senator [[Mary Landrieu]]. Jay Dardenne, like Hardy a former state senator and secretary of state, became the second Republican to hold the position of lieutenant governor, the winner of a special election in 2010 to succeed Mitch Landrieu, who was elected [[mayor]]  of New Orleans.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 2, 2010.</ref>  

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==Private life in Baton Rouge==​

==Personal life==​

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Hardy is an attorney, banker, businessman, and political consultant residing in Baton Rouge with his wife Sandra "Sandi" Gatlin Hardy (born 1943), a native of [[rural]] Grant Parish in north Louisiana. They have two children and two granddaughters. Gregory Paul Hardy (born 1966)  his wife, Dedi, and their daughter Heather Gayle Hardy reside in  Baton Rouge,  where he practices law. Daughter Yvette Rachal Hardy Gross is a ULL graduate residing in Baton Rouge with her husband, Darrell Gross, along with their daughter, Jessica Yvette Gross.<ref name=agneshardy/>​

Hardy is an attorney, banker, businessman, and political consultant residing in Baton Rouge with his wife Sandra "Sandi" Gatlin Hardy (born 1943), a native of [[rural]] Grant Parish in north Louisiana. They have two children and two granddaughters. Gregory Paul Hardy (born 1966)  his wife, Dedi, and their daughter Heather Gayle Hardy reside in  Baton Rouge,  where he practices law. Daughter Yvette Rachal Hardy Gross is a ULL graduate residing in Baton Rouge with her husband, Darrell Gross, along with their daughter, Jessica Yvette Gross.<ref name=agneshardy/>​

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