 In 1964, he defeated incumbent Republican Victor A. Knox to be elected as a Democrat from Michigan's 11th congressional district to the Eighty-ninth Congress, serving from January 3, 1965 to January 3, 1967.He was known as one of the Michigan Five Fluke Freshmen and was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1966, and again in 1968, losing both times to Republican Philip Ruppe.Clevenger was appointed by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson as chairman, Great Lakes Basin Commission, 1967–1968.