An August 3 poll by Gravis on Wisconsin statewide races indicated 12% support for Green Party candidate for State Treasurer Ron Hardy in a hypothetical matchup with a Democrat and Republican, with 18% uncertain. The Democrat and Republican included in the poll were both defeated in their primaries. “With so little known about this race, these early numbers show public support for an independent solution to politics as usual,” said Hardy. 

Ron Hardy is a Winnebago County Board Supervisor in Oshkosh, and former Chair of the City of Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory Board. He is a librarian at UW Oshkosh, and a father of two.

Hardy supports returning oversight over public funds back to the State Treasurer’s office. “The last thing we need is to consolidate more power under the Governor’s authority,” said Hardy. “We need an independent authority to keep an eye on state revenues, audit government spending and prevent fraud, waste, corruption and mismanagement.”

Hardy is also advocating for the adoption of a publicly owned state bank of Wisconsin, to keep state revenues and trust funds in Wisconsin and out of the hands of ‘too big to fail’ Wall Street Banks. “Wisconsin’s economic security is too important to leave in the hands of profit driven private banks,” said Hardy. “With a State Bank of Wisconsin, like the State Bank of North Dakota, Wisconsin cities and counties could bond for capital improvement projects with the state, and the interest from those loans can be reinvested in Wisconsin instead of becoming Wall Street profits.”

Hardy faces four other candidates for Wisconsin State Treasurer. "After the primaries, I'm the only progressive candidate in the treasurer's race and the only candidate supporting the common-sense solution of a public bank. With support from progressives, fiscal conservatives, independents, and anyone who's fed up with politics as usual, I can win this race."

The General Election is November 4, 2014.

Gravis Poll: http://gravismarketing.com/polling-and-market-research/wisconsin-polling-scott-walker-and-mary-burke-47-47/

Ron Hardy’s Website: http://www.voteronhardy.com

Wisconsin Green Party: http://wigp.nationbuilder.com