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INDIANAPOLIS — Just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, Republican Cyndi Carrasco conceded the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office race to Democrat incumbent Ryan Mears.

At the time she released her concession statement 76% had reported, with Mears leading with about 59% of the vote.

Mears has been with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office since 2006 and was appointed county prosecutor in 2019 after former prosecutor Terry Curry stepped down.

“I am truly grateful for the trust that voters have placed in me tonight,” said Mears in a press release declaring his win. “And I’m ready to keep building a justice system worthy of the community’s trust. I will continue to strive to be a prosecutor for the people. We’ve never shied away from the tough calls, because it’s always the right time to do the right thing.”

During the watch party hosted by Indiana Democrats, Mears addressed his supporters, thanking them for acknowledging the difficulties within the county and the process in finding solutions to correct them.

“Marion County is definitely confronted with a lot of issues, and in order to solve those issues, those are really complex problems, and I’m just incredibly grateful to all the people in Marion County today who didn’t give in to the negative things that were out there,” he said.

In a statement, Carrasco said they knew that the run for Marion County Prosecutor was to be an uphill climb.

The odds were stacked against us running as a Republican in a blue county, but the stakes were too high not to try. Indianapolis and all of Marion County has experienced three years of record violence, and what we are doing is simply not working. When we announced our campaign, we set out to make a difference. Our campaign was about change, and although we came up short in our ultimate goal, we have made real, meaningful change. 

Cyndi Carrasco

In the statement, she went on to congratulate Mears and hoped he would take the trust voters placed in him “to make much-needed changes in our criminal justice system.”

“I understand the deep commitment that drives prosecutors in seeking justice for victims. I have stood in Marion County courtrooms fighting for that justice, consoling grieving families, and watching the incredible challenges faced by everyone involved. Prosecutors take on the tough cases and do the right thing, time and time again, even when it is not the easy route,” Mears added.