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Brady looks to suburbs by picking ex-Long Grove mayor as lt. governor candidate

State Sen. Bill Brady today named former Long Grove Mayor Maria Rodriguez as his running mate in the race for governor, bringing a suburban name to the downstate candidate's ticket.

“We're aligned in our views, and I can support him completely,” Rodriguez said.

A two-term mayor of Long Grove, Rodriguez ran in the Republican primary for Congress in 2010, eventually losing that race to McHenry Republican Joe Walsh. After that, she ran For the Good of Illinois, a conservative watchdog group.

Brady ran for governor in 2010, and Rodriguez got to know him some then. The pick drew early praise from Lake County's Republican Party chairman.

“She has a lot of integrity, and she's very honest,” Chairman Bob Cook said.

Brady's pick of a suburban candidate as his choice for lieutenant governor is another example of Republican candidates wanting to find some geographical balance on their tickets. Brady, of Bloomington, could get some help in the suburbs from his running mate.

“We're such a diverse state, I think it makes sense to pick a candidate from a different area,” Rodriguez said.

Another Republican candidate, state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, picked downstate state Rep. Jil Tracy to run with him, and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford called on Northbrook's Steve Kim to share the ticket.

Businessman Bruce Rauner, who has had homes in Chicago and Wilmette, has yet to announce his choice.

Ticket: Rauner is only Republican candidate yet to name running mate

  Former Long Grove Mayor Maria Rodriguez, right, talks to Brenda Rengers of Buffalo Grove and Chuck Krumpock of Kildeer as Bill Brady shares in the laugh at the Long Grove Cafe on Tuesday. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Former Long Grove Mayor Maria Rodriguez talks to the people as Bill Brady looks on as they were in Long Grove to announce that he selected Rodriguez as his running mate for lieutenant governor at the Long Grove Cafe on Tuesday. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Maria Rodriguez
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