In 1894, Clardy defeated Judge Samuel Vance and William McClain for the Democratic nomination to represent the Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He defeated the Republican nominee, Elijah G. Sebree, by a majority of three thousand votes. He was re-elected once, serving in the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899). He advocated for the free coinage of silver as long as it could be kept on parity with gold. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1898.