SCHERERVILLE | Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter said Thursday his chief deputy would continue to fight Lake County's public corruption.

Carter, who is endorsing Greg Zoeller as the next attorney general, traveled here to speak to local Republican state delegates in advance of the June 21 GOP state convention, which will name the party's standard bearers for the fall general election.

Zoeller, a native of New Albany, is competing for delegate support with Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas.

Carter said Zoeller has stood by him in the fight against systematic vote fraud that stained the county's 2003 election, the office's civil racketeering lawsuit against former East Chicago officials and the defunct and fraudulent Gary Urban Enterprise Association.

"Indiana needs a skilled lawyer in that job," Carter said. "He has been my one and only chief deputy, and you can trust him. too."

Zoeller pledged to continue the fight against public corruption.

"Reform will continue on my watch," he said. "Don't let my friendly face fool you. I can be a tough lawyer."

Zoeller, a former aide to former Vice President Dan Quayle, lost a convention bid for attorney general in 1996. He later backed Carter for the job and has been Carter's second in command.

Zoeller said the experience has given him a good understanding of the job and of Lake and Porter counties.