Cresent Hardy

Cresent Hardy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Nevada's 4th district
In office
January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by Steven Horsford
Succeeded by Ruben Kihuen
Member of the Nevada Assembly
In office
November 3, 2010 – November 5, 2014
Preceded by Joe Hardy
Succeeded by Chris Edwards
Constituency 20th district (2010–2012)
19th district (2012–2014)
Personal details
Born
Cresent Leo Hardy

June 23, 1957
Mesquite, Nevada, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse Peri Jean
Children 4
Education Dixie State University (BA)

Cresent Leo Hardy (born June 23, 1957) is an American politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative for Nevada's 4th congressional district from 2015 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Nevada Assembly from 2010 to 2014.

Hardy unseated one-term Democratic incumbent Steven Horsford in 2014, then lost his own bid for reelection in the 2016 general election to Democratic challenger Ruben Kihuen. Kihuen then retired after one term due to sexual misconduct allegations, so Hardy ran for his old seat in 2018, losing to Horsford in a rematch. Hardy later ran unsuccessfully for Nevada's 1st congressional district in the 2022 election.

Early life and education

Hardy graduated from Virgin Valley High School and Dixie State College.

Business career

Since leaving college, Hardy has pursued a career in business. He is a partial owner of properties in Alaska and Utah as well as in and around Mesquite, Nevada. Prior to entering Congress, he was a partner in a construction company. He was also one of several owners of Mesquite's Falcon Ridge Golf Course, which he personally designed.

Hardy began his career in government by serving as the public works director in Mesquite, Nevada. He then became a member of the Virgin Valley Water District and a member of the Mesquite City Council. He was elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 2010.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2014
See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada § District 4

Hardy ran as a candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Nevada's 4th congressional district, held by Steven Horsford of the Democratic Party, in the 2014 election. Hardy defeated Horsford 48.5%-45.7%.

Hardy held "a number of community meetings" after being elected. He said "the two issues he heard about most often...were jobs and health care," and these would become his priorities in office.

2016
See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada § District 4

Hardy ran for re-election in 2016. Hardy faced two challengers in the Republican primary in June 2016, winning 77.44% of the vote. In the general election, he faced Democratic state senator Ruben Kihuen. Kihuen defeated Hardy with 48.5% of the vote. While Hardy carried six of the district's seven counties, he could not overcome a 24,000-vote deficit in Clark County. After initially supporting Donald Trump's presidential bid, Hardy said in October 2016 he would not vote for Trump.

2018
See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada § District 4

In January 2018, Hardy announced his candidacy for his old congressional seat after Republican Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony dropped out of the race. He won the June 2018 Republican primary. In August 2018, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan campaigned for Hardy in Las Vegas.

Hardy faced Democratic nominee and former U.S. Representative for the district, Steven Horsford in the general election. Horsford defeated Hardy, winning 52% of the vote to Hardy's 44%. Third-party candidates took the remaining 4% of the vote.

Committee assignments

Political positions

Immigration

Hardy voted against an amendment to defund President Barack Obama's DACA program.

Health care

In 2016, Hardy and Terri Sewell (D-AL) introduced the Rural Health Enhancement and Long Term Health Act (HEALTH), intended to forestall the closure of rural hospitals.

Iran deal

Hardy opposed President Obama's Iran deal.

Personal life

Hardy and his wife, Peri Jean Hardy, have four children and two grandchildren.

In August 2016, Hardy was hospitalized after a heart attack that occurred while he was preparing to undergo a colonoscopy. The next day he returned to his re-election campaign. Doctors discovered he had been living with a collapsed artery on his heart, and they inserted two stents to repair it. Hardy said "I actually feel better than I've felt in quite some time."

Electoral history

2014 Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cresent Hardy 10,398 42.6
Republican Niger Innis 8,077 33.1
Republican Michael Ace Monroe 5,393 22.1
Republican Carlo "Mazunga" Poliak 523 2.2
Total votes 27,075 100.0
2016 Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cresent Hardy 18,610 76.79%
Republican Mike Monroe 4,336 17.89%
Republican Wayne Villines 1,290 5.32%
Total votes 24,236 100.00%
2018 Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cresent Hardy 15,252 47.4
Republican David Gibbs 6,098 19.0
Republican Bill Townsend 3,659 11.4
Republican Kenneth Wegner 3,625 11.3
Republican Jeff Miller 2,560 8.0
Republican Mike Monroe 971 3.0
Total votes 32,165 100.0
Nevada's 4th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steven Horsford 121,962 51.9
Republican Cresent Hardy 102,748 43.8
Independent American Party (Nevada) Warren Markowitz 3,180 1.3
Independent Rodney Smith 2,733 1.2
Libertarian Greg Luckner 2,213 0.9
Independent Dean McGonigle 2,032 0.9
Total votes 234,868 100.0
Democratic hold
2022 Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Robertson 12,286 30.1
Republican David Brog 7,183 17.6
Republican Carolina Serrano 6,981 17.1
Republican Cresent Hardy 4,767 11.7
Republican Cynthia Steel 4,760 11.7
Republican Jane Adams 2,065 5.1
Republican Morgun Sholty 1,988 4.9
Republican Jessie Turner 829 2.0
Total votes 40,859 100.0