Cyndi Carrasco files to fill state senate seat

Cyndi Carrasco

Cyndi Carrasco, a Republican who lost to Democrat Ryan Mears in the 2022 election for Marion County prosecutor, has filed as a candidate for Indiana State Senate District 36.

The district, which includes portions of Marion County and northern Johnson County, was vacated last month after the unexpected death of Sen. Jack Sandlin, a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer and longtime public servant.

A caucus of Republican precinct committee members will vote on Sandlin’s replacement at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Atrium Banquet and Conference Center, 3143 E. Thompson Road, in Indianapolis. The winner will fill the remainder of Sandlin’s term, which runs through 2024.

The only other candidate to publicly announce intentions to run in the caucus is former state Rep. John Jacob, who was defeated in the 2022 election after serving just one term in the Indiana House.

Interested candidates must file forms with the Indiana Republican Party no later than 72 hours prior to the vote.

In a written statement announcing her candidacy, Carrasco said Sandlin was one of her “first and most loyal supporters” in her run for county prosecutor last year.

“Public safety has always been and will always remain my No. 1 priority,” Carrasco said. “Weak, soft-on-crime policies are having dramatic consequences, and I will always fully support law enforcement in their mission to keep our communities safe and hold criminals accountable. I will work to keep taxes low, ensure our state government spends within its means, small businesses remain supported, and our education system works for all Hoosier children with transparency and parental choice along the way. I will be an unwavering conservative voice for Marion and Johnson Counties in the State Senate.”

Born and raised to Mexican immigrant parents in El Paso, Texas, Carrasco moved to Indiana to attend to Indiana University McKinney School of Law. She currently serves as vice president and general counsel at the University of Indianapolis, where she also oversees the university police department. She previously served as executive director of the Indiana State Ethics Commission and was the first female inspector general for the state.