Gree-American attorney to run for Nebraska Attorney General

Omaha attorney Evangelos (Van) Argyrakis has announced he will run for attorney general on the Democratic ticket.

Nebraskans deserve a choice, Argyrakis said, discussing his decision to run against Jon Bruning, an incumbent with statewide name recognition.

"If voters don't have a choice, what's the point of having an election," Argyrakis said in a phone interview last week.

The 42-year-old is a 1992 graduate of Creighton College of Law whose private practice deals primarily with ...

immigration issues.

The son of Greek immigrants, Argyrakis is a first-generation American who was born in Omaha and graduated from Omaha Central High School. He pronounces his name Ar-gur-ah-kis.

In a news release, Argyrakis said his name means "deliverer of good news" -- and he pointed to others with unusual names, including Nebraska football player Ndamukong Suh.

"I thought, if a man named Ndamukong Suh could win over the hearts of Nebraskans, then a man named Evangelos Argyrakis could also win the hearts of Nebraskans."

Argyrakis was a paid intern for former U.S. Rep. Hal Daub, a Republican in 1988. Frustrated and disappointed with the Republican Party and former President George W. Bush, Argyrakis said he switched to the Democratic Party about 18 months ago.

Argyrakis said he would be a champion of women's rights, including the right to choice, and the rights of all Nebraskans no matter their color or ethnic background.

In his news release, Argyrakis asked Bruning to pledge that if elected, he would serve all four years as attorney general. Bruning has indicated an interest in the U.S. Senate seat in 2012, midway through the term.

Bruning, Argyrakis said, needs to be more straightforward with Nebraskans about whether he intends to serve the term.