INDIANAPOLIS | Former congresswoman Jill Long Thompson squeaked out a win for the Democratic nomination for Indiana governor, with Lake County apparently giving her the victory in the homestretch.

According to unofficial results tallied by The Associated Press early today, Long Thompson defeated Indianapolis architect Jim Schellinger on Tuesday with 50.2 percent of the votes, She was ahead by nearly 5,500 votes with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

Long Thompson will face Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels in November.

Late results from Lake County, the state's second-largest in population, put Long Thompson over the top, unofficial tallies show.

Both candidates were predicting wins late into the night.

"It's going to be a great night for us," Schellinger told supporters shortly after 10 p.m. "We're going to pull this thing out. We're going to win this thing."

Television coverage of Long Thompson making a similar speech in Fort Wayne played in the background as Schellinger addressed the crowd a Pat Flynn's Public House, a bar on the north side of the state capital.

"The night is unfolding as we always thought it would," said Long Thompson spokesman Jeff Harris. "It's extremely tight. But considering we were out-spent 3-1, we're extremely pleased with the numbers."

Daniels did not have a GOP opponent Tuesday.

Schellinger, a substantial campaign donor to Hoosier Democrats for the past decade, won the endorsement of the Lake County Democratic Party.

Long Thompson, a former congresswoman from northeast Indiana, had the support of region steelworkers and was endorsed by Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez.

In early returns, Long Thompson, who lives on a farm in Argos, scored big wins in counties in and around the northeast Indiana district she represented in Congress from 1989 to 1995. Schellinger, a South Bend native, won St. Joseph County and much of southern Indiana.

Despite running unopposed, Daniels outspent the Democrats this spring with $2 million in television ads touting his job creation efforts and budget-balancing skills.

Both Democrats sought to capitalize on the weakening economy, with Long Thompson offering proposals to cap the gasoline sales tax and target state incentives at employers who locate in counties with high unemployment. Schellinger rolled out a four-part Pick Up Indiana platform that emphasizes small business growth, worker training and environmentally friendly "green-collar" jobs.

Neither Democrat mustered even half the $8.3 million in campaign cash that Daniels amassed. Schellinger raised about $3 million, compared to about $1.1 million for Long Thompson.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.