Hoosier Democrats weigh choice for Indiana attorney general nominee

Jun. 5--The Democratic candidates for Indiana attorney general argued their cases Thursday for why they deserve the party's nomination to compete in the Nov. 3 general election.

State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, and former Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel both touted their experience in public office and commitment to serving Hoosiers during a special television program airing in place of traditional party convention speeches due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tallian said she is uniquely qualified to bring Hoosiers together based on her record of advocating for policies that cross party lines during 15 years representing Northwest Indiana in the Senate, including efforts to improve health care access and legalize marijuana.

"These are troubling times in our country and in our state," Tallian said. "We need leaders and I can do that."

Tallian also pointed to polling data showing she's best positioned to defeat Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill, who currently is prohibited from practicing law after the Indiana Supreme Court determined Hill violated the Professional Conduct Rules for attorneys by groping four women, including a Region lawmaker, during a 2018 party at an Indianapolis bar.

"He has to go and I am taking him out," Tallian said. "I will walk into that office and clean house."

Weinzapfel did not comment on the disciplinary case against Indiana's current attorney general, instead joining Tallian in promising to remove the state from a Hill-filed federal lawsuit seeking to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

He also pledged to improve nursing home transparency and safety, especially in relation to COVID-19, and to restore fairness to the criminal justice system following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

"We've seen tough times before," Weinzapfel said. "We can get through them together."

Also speaking during the 90-minute program on Indianapolis' WISH-TV were Dr. Woody Myers, who won the Democratic nomination for Indiana governor at Tuesday's primary election, and former state Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, his selection for lieutenant governor.

If elected, they pledged to focus on improving Indiana's schools, economic climate, environment and sense of community, while working to prevent both street riots and police violence.

Democratic convention delegates elected Tuesday will decide via mail-in ballot whether Tallian or Weinzapfel wins the party's attorney general nod. They also must ratify Lawson's selection as the Democratic lieutenant governor nominee.

The Democratic attorney general winner is due to be announced June 18, the same day as the virtual convention for the Indiana Republican Party.

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