Unofficial election night numbers from the Floyd County Clerk’s Office show longtime Indiana state Rep. Ed Clere with just under a 5,000 vote win over Democratic candidate Jason Applegate, or 57.3% of the vote to Applegate’s 42.7%.
Clere said he’s grateful and humbled by the diverse support he received.
“That means everything, and I look forward to continuing to do my best to represent everyone in House District 72,” he said Tuesday night. “I’ve always tried hard to represent everyone, and I will continue to do that. I try to approach everything in a bipartisan, consensus-building way, and I'm going to continue to do that.”
Clere was first elected in 2008. In the upcoming session he said he wants to continue to focus on health and human services issues, including the state’s Medicaid program, which he said is under “tremendous pressure.”
“There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, including waiting lists that have been growing,” he said. “I don’t think anyone who qualifies for services should have to wait to receive those services.”
He said he’s also already working on legislation for disability and property tax issues.
Applegate said he’s disappointed in the loss. He said he and his team “put in a lot of hard work and really thought we had a strong message.”
He also said straight-party options on ballots can make it hard for candidates to stand out.
“That [option] being on the ballot is tough to overcome,” he said.
He said he wants to believe that voters choose person over party but when races are close, wins sometimes come down to whether candidates have an “R” or “D” next to their name.
He gave credit to his opponent’s win however, saying this was chosen by the voters.
“I congratulate Representative Clere and his team for the victory…and for all the other winners of their races in Floyd County,” he said.
Republican Frank Loop, the former Floyd County sheriff, won the county commissioners District 2 race over Democrat Veronica Combs. In District 3, Republican incumbent Jason Sharp kept his seat over Democratic challenger Tim Harbison.
Democratic incumbent Brad Striegel lost his seat as a Floyd County Council member. Republican incumbent D.M. Bagshaw and Republicans Sam Sarkisian and Matt Milles were the top vote-getters for three at-large seats on the council.
Ann Carruthers beat incumbent candidate Jenny Higbie for an at-large seat on the New Albany Floyd County Schools board.
Here’s a rundown of projected winners in Floyd County:
County Treasurer
Steve Burks, Republican* - 59.5%
Vickie Tencer, Democrat - 40.5%
County Coroner
Matthew Tomin, Republican - 52.9%
Amy M. Culwell, Democrat - 47.1%
Commissioners, District 2
Frank A Loop, Republican - 59.9%
Veronica M. Combs, Democrat - 40.1%
Commissioners, District 3
Jason Sharp, Republican* - 55.7%
Tim Harbison, Democrat - 44.3%
County Council, at-large
DM Bagshaw, Republican* - 18.3%
Sam Sarkisian, Republican - 17.9%
Matt Millies, Republican - 17.4%
Brad Striegel, Democrat* - 16.2%
Ellen Morrison Kelley - 13.8%
Daniel T. Harris, Democrat - 12.1%
Morgan Beatty, Libertarian - 4.2%
New Albany Floyd County Schools at-large, (one seat, nonpartisan)
Ann Carruthers - 44.9%
Jenny Higbie* - 29.7%
Matt Mayfield - Matt Mayfield - 25.3%
Incumbents Elizabeth A. Galligan and Rebecca Jo Gardenour retained their seats for the District 3 and 4 seats, respectively. Both ran unopposed.
Incumbent Republican Lois Naville Endris was re-elected as Floyd County Recorder. Republican John G. Brinkworth III also ran unopposed and will keep his seat as Floyd County Surveyor.
Coverage of Southern Indiana is funded, in part, by Samtec Inc., the Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation, and the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County.
