Longtime Indiana state Rep. Ed Clere, a moderate Republican who has served southern Indiana for 18 years, shocked Hoosier political circles this weekend by announcing he will not seek reelection and is effectively leaving the Republican Party, blaming Donald Trump’s growing dominance for making the GOP “unrecognizable.”

In a blunt interview, the New Albany lawmaker called Trump’s demand for an early congressional redistricting “a very obvious and extreme example” of how Washington’s poison has seeped into Indiana. Clere was one of only 12 House Republicans who voted against the president’s redistricting push in December, a bill that later died in the Senate.

A Moderate Voice Silenced

Clere’s departure marks the clearest sign yet that Trump’s second term is triggering a quiet exodus of traditional Republicans in red states.

The 18-year veteran broke with his party on abortion bans, transgender care restrictions for minors, and partisan school board elections, all measures that sailed through the Statehouse with overwhelming GOP support.

“It’s not the same party I joined when Mitch Daniels was governor,” Clere told the Indiana Capital Chronicle on Sunday. “There’s still good legislation, but the focus has shifted to culture-war fights that tear people apart instead of solving real problems.”

Local GOP leaders in Floyd County wasted no time distancing themselves, issuing a statement thanking Clere for his service while claiming he “has stepped away from Republican values.”

Clere laughed off the jab. “I’ve been the same person for 18 years,” he said. “The party changed, not me.”

The Redistricting Fight That Exposed the Rift

Trump’s aggressive push for new congressional maps, widely seen as an attempt to punish disloyal Republicans ahead of 2026 midterms, became the breaking point.

The president has already endorsed five primary challengers against GOP senators who refused to back the early redraw. One of those targets, Senate Majority Caucus Chair Travis Holdman of Markle, now faces Bluffton City Councilman Blake Fiechter, who filed paperwork last week after receiving Trump’s surprise endorsement.

Fiechter posted on Facebook: “We need a strong conservative and America First Senator representing us in Indianapolis.”

Holdman, unfazed, told reporters he helped get Fiechter elected to city council years ago. “It’s part of the process,” he said with a shrug.

Clere’s Proudest Legacy: Saving Lives

Long before Trump’s shadow fell over Indiana, Clere made national headlines in 2015 by championing syringe exchange programs during the devastating HIV outbreak in Scott County.

He lost his Public Health Committee chairmanship for that vote, but the program he authored has since prevented countless infections and helped thousands enter recovery.

“That single piece of legislation saved more lives than anything else I’ve ever done,” Clere said, voice cracking. “I’m prouder of that than any tax cut or highway bill.”

Looking Ahead: An Independent Run for Mayor?

Clere isn’t riding quietly into retirement.

He confirmed to local media that he is seriously considering another run for New Albany mayor in 2027, this time as an independent. He narrowly lost to Democratic incumbent Jeff Gahan in 2023 but has consistently won his House district by double digits, even as Floyd County trends purple.

“It’s not just about where I stand with the Republican Party anymore,” Clere said. “It’s about where I can actually get things done for people.”

Political observers say Clere’s exit could embolden other moderates who have stayed silent, afraid of Trump-backed primary challengers.

Linda Hanson, president of the League of Women Voters of Indiana, called Clere’s stand “courageous.” She added: “When good people leave, the party becomes an echo chamber.”

For now, Clere says he will finish his term and remain in the House Republican caucus through November. But his heart, he admits, is already somewhere else.

“I still love public service,” he said. “I just can’t do it in a party that punishes independent thought.”

What do you think, is this the beginning of a bigger moderate Republican walkout in red states, or will most just keep their heads down? Drop your take below, and if you’re fired up, use #IndianaGOPExodus on X.