Destiny Wells won a contested Indiana Democratic convention vote Saturday to become the party’s candidate for state attorney general as delegates also endorsed Terry Goodin as gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick’s running mate.

Wells, who was the party’s 2022 secretary of state nominee, defeated former Marion County Clerk Beth White in a 1,057-475 vote.

Goodin, a former Indiana House Democratic leader, easily defeated three little-known challengers for the party’s lieutenant governor nomination.

Wells will be on the November election ballot against Republican Todd Rokita, the incumbent attorney general who has faced a misconduct reprimand from the state Supreme Court and other ethics investigations.

Wells assailed Rokita as a flawed candidate focused on seeking appearances on Fox News with actions such as his pursuit of sanctions against Dr. Caitlin Bernard after she provided an abortion to a 10-year-old Ohio rape victim.

Wells said she would campaign on pledges to use the office for issues such as protecting medical privacy and workers rights.

“The office of the attorney general will serve as a beachhead for Democrats as we look to even the playing field in the Statehouse and increase the number of Democrats serving Hoosiers,” Wells told delegates.

Wells is an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel in military intelligence and a former deputy state attorney general. She ran for secretary of state two years ago against Republican Diego Morales as he faced a slew of controversies. Wells lost by nearly 14 percentage points.

Democrats hope to turn Rokita’s controversies against him in the fall campaign. But he has banked more than $1.3 million for his reelection bid while Wells and White were stymied in fundraising as they spent months contesting their party’s nomination.

Rokita is a staunch Donald Trump supporter who has led legal fights on issues such as abortion and contesting Biden administration initiatives.

Rokita donned boxing gloves as he walked onto the stage during the state Republican convention last month, drawing cheers as he said the GOP was the only “party that loves America.”

“They aren’t just coming for Donald Trump or me; they are coming to silence all of us,” Rokita said. “That’s why we need to fight back. We cannot give in. We cannot give up. It’s the only way to beat a bully.”

In contrast to the state Republican convention, Democratic delegates sided with their gubernatorial candidate’s pick for a running mate.

Goodin, a former state legislator, won 79% of the convention vote as liberal complaints about his votes in support of social conservative issues didn’t result in any prominent candidates stepping up to challenge him.

McCormick announced her pick of Goodin just days after Republican delegates went against gubernatorial candidate Mike Braun’s wishes and narrowly picked pastor Micah Beckwith as the GOP lieutenant governor nominee.

The nomination speech for Goodin on Saturday was given by state Sen. J.D. Ford, the only openly gay member of the Legislature who considered entering the lieutenant governor race before endorsing Goodin.

“Between his experience in agriculture for decades and service to our schools, and his assurances that he will be a force for progress and justice, I know Dr. Goodin is up for doing this job,” Ford said. 

Goodin first won election as an Indiana House member from a rural southern Indiana district in 2000, serving until a reelection defeat in 2020. He was the Crothersville Community Schools superintendent for 24 years before President Joe Biden appointed him in 2022 as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s state director for rural development.

After Goodin’s victory was announced, he drew cheers from the convention delegates when he again stated his reversal on some of his previous conservative social issues stances that had caused him trouble with some liberals.

“Hoosier women not only deserve the right, but we demand the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies,” Goodin said. “Also, folks, hear me very clearly: Indiana must be more welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community in our state. Hoosier hospitality must extend to everyone and not just some.”

Tom Davies is a Statehouse reporter for State Affairs Pro Indiana. Reach him at [email protected] or on X at @TomDaviesIND.

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