Kit Clardy graduated from William Jewell College and the University of Michigan Law School. He began his legal career in Ionia before serving as assistant attorney general of Michigan and as a member of the Michigan Public Utilities Commission. Clardy reentered private practice in 1934 and later engaged in congressional service. His career highlights include participation in HUAC hearings, which were notable for their contentious nature and resultant public disturbances.

Kit Clardy's political identity is marked by a staunch anti-communist stance that often veered into aggressive and controversial territory. His participation in HUAC hearings, particularly those in Lansing and Flint, Michigan, showcased a confrontational approach that incited violence and public unrest. Clardy's ideological rigidity is further evidenced by his disdain for labor unions, as reflected in his pride over college youths throwing union organizers into a river. This combination of anti-communist fervor and hostility toward labor movements presents a unique and tension-filled political persona.