Edward Clere
Edward D. 'Ed' Clere is a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 72nd District. He is seen as a bipartisan legislator who encourages constituent outreach.
In 2015, Clere, concerned about the rapid spread of HIV in Scott County, Indiana, urged then-governor Mike Pence to sign an executive order to allow needle exchange programs to operate. After resisting the intervention for over two months, Pence spoke to the county sheriff, prayed for guidance, then capitulated, allowing such a program to address the epidemic. The rate of infection slowed dramatically.
Clere received the Chancellor's Medal from Indiana University Southeast in 2016.
