Bernard Joseph Leddy

Bernard Joseph Leddy (March 18, 1910 – January 9, 1972) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. Education and career Leddy was born in Underhill, Vermont on March 18, 1910, a son of John T. Leddy and Anna (Marlow) Leddy. Leddy was educated in the parochial schools of Underhill and Burlington, and was a 1927 graduate of Burlington's Cathedral High School. He received his Artium Baccalaureus degree from Saint Michael's College in 1931, and his Bachelor of Laws from Boston College Law School in 1934. He was a Burlington alderman from 1935 to 1940. He was an Assistant United States Attorney for Vermont from 1940 to 1954. In 1946, Leddy was named chair of the Burlington Zoning Commission. In 1955, he was elected chair of the Saint Michael's College board of trustees. In 1956, he was elected chair of the Chittenden County Bar Association. Leddy was a civilian aide for the United States Secretary of the Army from 1962 to 1966. Gubernatorial campaign Leddy was the 1958 Democratic nominee for Governor of Vermont. At a time when Vermont was overwhelmingly Republican, Leddy lost to Robert Stafford by only 719 votes (50.3% to 49.7%). Leddy's strong showing in the governor's race, coupled with the win of Democrat William H. Meyer in the election for Vermont's at-large seat in the United States House of Representatives, was an indicator that the state's Democrats were growing in strength after more than 100 years of Republican dominance in statewide elections.