Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson has been endorsed by five Northwest Indiana legislators, including two who represent the Duneland community.

At a campaign rally in East Chicago this week, State Senator Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, and State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, formally endorsed Long Thompson. Also endorsing her were State Reps. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, Dan Stevenson, D-Highland, and Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster.

Long Thompson, a former congresswoman and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development, faces Indianapolis architect Jim Schellinger in the May 6 Democrat primary. The winner of that primary will face Republican incumbent Mitch Daniels in November.

“At a time when Indiana is struggling, Jill is the only candidate offering real solutions to get us moving again. She has plans to grow the economy, reduce the price of gas, improve access to health care and strengthen our schools,” said Brown, who spoke on behalf of the group. “Jill is exactly the person Northwest Indiana needs right now.”

Long Thompson has also been endorsed by five Indiana Teamsters locals, the United Steelworkers, the Service Employee International Union, Communication Workers of America, the American Federation of Government Employees, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, the United Transportation Union and Local #446 of Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees.

Posted 4/24/2008