Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Before long, Gov. JB Pritzker will name a running mate.

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is running for U.S. Senate, which Pritzker says is her decision, and he’s endorsing her in next year’s Democratic primary. The seat is open because of Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) retirement.

As for the kind of person he wants as lieutenant governor, Pritzker said, “Can this person run the state? Have they proven that they understand the challenges that we face and what we need to do going forward?

“The second most important quality to me is, do you have a heart for the people of Illinois? There are so many people who want to divide the state and want to talk about it as if it were two states.”

Pritzker says while some counties are red and some counties are blue, all 102 counties make up Illinois, and the statewide officers must serve them all.