Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has chosen Paul Vallas to run with him as lieutenant governor in next year’s election, according to NBC Chicago.
Vallas, a former chief of Chicago Public Schools, ran for governor in 2002 and narrowly lost to Rod Blagojevich. Vallas now serves as the superintendent for Bridgeport Public Schools in Connecticut.
Current Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon announced earlier this year that she would not seek another term in the same post.
This is the first year the General Assembly required Illinois’ gubernatorial candidates to run with their lieutenant governor picks. The rule was changed after a situation in 2010 in which Scott Lee Cohen won the nomination and was then pushed off the ticket.