Rutherford, Dillard name lieutenant governor picks

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Rutherford has chosen a Chicago attorney as his running mate.

Steve Kim is a 42-year-old lawyer from Northbrook. He has a Chicago practice and served as a Northfield township trustee. Kim unsuccessfully challenged Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in 2010. He’s also Korean-American. He immigrated to the U.S. with his family at a young age and is a citizen.

Those are all factors that Rutherford says he considered when making his lieutenant governor pick. Rutherford announced the news Monday on Twitter. He tells The Associated Press that Kim has the experience and the ability to reach Illinois’ diverse population.

Kim tells AP his background in business and law will help him on the job.

Rutherford was the first gubernatorial candidate to announce his running mate. On Monday night, state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale announced via Twitter that his running mate would be Jil Tracy, a state representative from Quincy.