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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Just days after making official his bid for a third term, Gov. JB Pritzker announced the selection former state representative and deputy governor Christian Mitchell as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

Mitchell, currently the vice president for civic engagement and external affairs at the University of Chicago, served as a state legislator representing Chicago's South Side from 2013 to 2019. He was later tapped by Pritzker to serve as a deputy governor overseeing infrastructure, energy and public safety issues.

"As a state representative, as the deputy governor of this state, Christian Mitchell has gotten so much done for people," Pritzker said in a one-and-a-half minute video released Tuesday morning. "And I know when we've got to take on Donald Trump and overcome the challenges he's bringing to our state, that Christian Mitchell is up for that fight."

Pritzker added that Mitchell "is a proven leader with deep experience, steady judgment, and an unshakable commitment to the working families of Illinois."

Mitchell fills the hole left by incumbent Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is forgoing a third term as Pritzker's no. 2 to seek the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Stratton has been endorsed by Pritzker in the Democratic primary of that race.

The lieutenant governor is first in the line of succession should the governor die, resign or be removed from office. The Illinois Constitution prescribes few other responsibilities for the office, instead giving the governor broad authority to delegate tasks to his No. 2.

In this sense, it is the most low-profile statewide office in Illinois. One former lieutenant governor even resigned the office out of sheer boredom and lack of responsibility. However, some have been called upon to ascend to the top job, most recently Pat Quinn upon the impeachment and removal of Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2009.

Illinois governors and lieutenant governors used to run in separate primaries and then unite as one ticket for the general election. But due to a change in state law, gubernatorial candidates have been allowed to pick their running mates since the 2014 election. 

Pritzker is widely viewed as a potential Democratic candidate for president in 2028, adding greater importance to his pick given the elevated possibility that he does not serve out the four years of his third term if reelected.

The governor told reporters last week and repeated again on Monday that, above all other considerations, his pick had to be ready to become governor on day one and have "a heart for all the people of Illinois."

"In a campaign, you're trying to win all the votes," Pritzker said. "You're not going to win them all, but even people who don't vote for you become your constituents when you become governor."

In Mitchell, Pritzker tapped someone with both political and policy chops. 

As a state legislator, Mitchell fended off multiple Chicago Teachers Union-packed primary challenges. In 2018, he was named interim executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

In Pritzker's administration, Mitchell was the principal negotiator of the $45 billion capital construction program known as "Rebuild Illinois." He was also a driving force behind the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the landmark climate law that aims to put Illinois on a trajectory towards 100% carbon free energy generation by 2050.

The selection of Mitchell, who is Black, also ensures that the Pritzker-led ticket remains racially balanced, an important consideration in a state with a population that is more than 40% people of color. 

A number of names had been floated in recent months, including state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria, who is a member of House Democratic leadership; state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, who chairs the Democratic Party of Illinois; Deputy Gov. Andy Manar, who is Pritzker's top budget and economic development official; and Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia. 

In the introductory video, Mitchell said that he was molded by his mother, a NICU nurse at Rush University Medical Center for 38 years, and his grandfather, a U.S. Army veteran and union steelworker.

"They both taught me what it was like to care about your family and work really hard, how you continue to move forward in difficult times," Mitchell said. "That's why I wanted to go into public service because as difficult as life can be, I believe it can be a little bit easier if you've got leaders in government who care about working families, making life more affordable (and) making health care more accessible."

The primary election is March 17, 2025.