INDIANAPOLIS | Lake County played a huge role Tuesday in deciding -- and delaying -- the Democratic nomination for Indiana governor.

By late Wednesday afternoon, it was clear former Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson narrowly defeated Indianapolis architect Jim Schellinger to earn a November showdown with Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who enters the fall campaign with a $5 million head start on fundraising.

Statewide returns that were 99 percent complete Wednesday afternoon showed Long Thompson, who represented a northeast Indiana district in Congress from 1989 to 1995, ahead by at least 7,000 votes.

"The numbers are very good, and the margin continues to grow," Long Thompson told a small group of supporters gathered Wednesday afternoon at the United Steelworkers Local 1999 hall in Indianapolis. "The key was the Lake County vote."

The Lake County Democratic Party and Mayors Thomas McDermott Jr., of Hammond, and Rudy Clay, of Gary, backed Schellinger, but the endorsements rang hollow with region voters.

Lake County election results released after sunrise Wednesday showed Long Thompson won the Democratic stronghold by more than a 10,300 votes. She credited a group of region supports that included Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez, state Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, and state Sens. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, and Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes.

Schellinger initially refused to concede defeat, but he called late Wednesday afternoon to congratulate Long Thompson.

"We're disappointed that we won't get the chance to take on Mitch Daniels in November, but we wouldn't trade the last 15 months for anything," Schellinger said in a statement. "This was a hard-fought race that unfortunately was overshadowed by the presidential campaigns in Indiana."

Long Thompson said Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker called and left a message Wednesday congratulating her. And a spokesman said the state party is looking forward to the November showdown with Daniels.

Long Thompson suggested the negative barbs she and Schellinger exchanged in recent weeks won't harm her as the nominee. She released a statement thanking her Democratic opponent for a running a "spirited campaign."

Long Thompson said she expects Hoosier Democrats to unite for a fall campaign focused on solutions for the state's slumping economy and an end to the Republican governor's "privatization madness."

Daniels, who drew no GOP primary opponent, spent $2 million in the weeks leading up to the primary on television ads touting his record. His re-election campaign launched a pair of new ads Wednesday.