CHICAGO (AP) — Democrats in Illinois are getting a political do-over: the chance to pick a new lieutenant governor nominee themselves now that the primary winner dropped out of the race because of revelations about his checkered past.
Gov. Pat Quinn has the rare opportunity to help choose his running mate, but refused to say Monday who was on his short list of potential partners.
The politicking has begun in earnest, though, among would-be contenders who want a chance in November at the state's No. 2 job. The spot opened up when Scott Lee Cohen announced Sunday that he would leave the ticket over fears that he could cost Democrats the governor's race. Nominees for governor and lieutenant governor are chosen separately in the primary, but are linked together on the November ballot.
"I want to run with somebody who's qualified to be governor, who has a record of public service, someone who is able to speak to ordinary, everyday people in plain language about the importance of the economy and someone who also stands up for the progressive values of the Democratic party," Quinn told reporters.
Democrats are in a position to strengthen their ticket after Cohen bowed to pressure to get out of the race. It became widely known after his Feb. 2 primary victory that he had been accused of abusing his ex-wife and holding a knife to the throat of a former girlfriend, who had been charged with prostitution. Cohen also had admitted to past steroid use.
The revelations came as Illinois was starting to move on from the scandals of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
"For the good of the people of the state of Illinois and the Democratic Party, I will resign," Cohen announced Sunday during a Super Bowl halftime news conference at a Chicago bar.
Democrats had feared Cohen would tank Quinn's chances in November, possibly dragging down the entire Democratic ticket in the state and even allowing Republicans to capture President Barack Obama's former Senate seat. Quinn, who inherited the governor's job after Blagojevich's ouster, was already vulnerable after a narrow primary win and a tough Republican challenge in the fall.
The state Democratic party's 38-member central committee will pick a ballot replacement for Cohen. They are scheduled to meet in mid-March, but that could change, said Steve Brown, a spokesman for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is chairman of the state Democratic party.
Quinn said he would work with Madigan, the state party and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton to find a new candidate.
He encouraged anyone interested in the job to speak up, but didn't tip his hand about who he would prefer. He did say Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, who lost to Quinn in the primary, wasn't interested.
Quinn called state Rep. Arthur Turner of Chicago, who finished second in the lieutenant governor's primary, "a good man," but said he looked forward to working with lots of people.
Turner, who has served in the state Legislature for nearly 30 years, wants another chance at the lieutenant governor's job and will make his case to Democratic party leaders.
"Who better than a guy, me, who has worked with all the current leaders," Turner said.
U.S. Rep. Danny Davis of Chicago, a member of the state party's central committee, said he thought Turner would be "a great choice." Turner would be the fourth black Democrat on the ticket from the Chicago area.
Other Democrats who ran for lieutenant governor in the primary also want another shot at the job, including state Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan and state Rep. Mike Boland of East Moline.
U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello of Belleville, who also is a member of the committee that will pick Cohen's replacement, said through his spokesman that the candidate should come from outside the Chicago area.
The Republican nominee for governor will be from downstate if state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington holds on to his slim lead over state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale in a race that is still too close to call. The GOP lieutenant governor nominee, Jason Plummer, is from Edwardsville.
Quinn wouldn't commit to letting geography play a role in the decision.
"I really don't think the decision of who is going to be the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor should be based on anything other than the content of their character and their abilities and their record in life and their service," he said.
