Former Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel is the Indiana Democrats’ nominee for attorney general.

Weinzapfel – a former state lawmaker and Ivy Tech chancellor – won by just 48 votes out of more than 2,000 cast by state party convention delegates. He narrowly edged out Sen. Karen Tallian (D-Ogden Dunes).

In accepting the nomination Wednesday evening, he laid out his vision for the general election – and it’s clear COVID-19 will be a major theme.

“I will fight to ensure the safety of Hoosiers in nursing homes by demanding greater transparency … I’ll work to protect our health care and I’ll work to safeguard our workers as we get our economy back on track,” Weinzapfel says.

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Weinzapfel also says his campaign won’t depend on current Attorney General Curtis Hill being the GOP nominee.

“We’re still going to be focused on health care … and how we can make changes to our criminal justice system,” Weinzapfel says.

Hill, whose law license was temporarily suspended after he criminally battered four women, faces three opponents for the Republican nomination: Decatur County Prosecutor Nate Harter, former U.S. Rep Todd Rokita and Indianapolis attorney John Westercamp.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.