Through 2010 IL separately nominated Gov and LG though they are elected on a single partisan ticket. The IL Constitution gives no authority to the LG other than to replace the Gov should the office be vacant and to assume any duties assigned to the office by statute. It hasn't been unusual for IL LG's to leave office midterm due to boredom and the prospects of a more interesting job.
After the debacle of Scott Cohen getting the Dem LG nomination and then finding out that he had some serious negatives in the past, the legislature utilized the provision in the constitution that allowed the nominations to be by ticket and that exists for 2014. Ironically there had been a similar debacle in 1986 when a LaRouche follower won the Dem LG nod forcing Stevenson to run as an independent on the Solidarity ticket leaving the Dem ticket with an LG but no Gov candidate. Surprisingly that didn't lead to ticket nominations back then.
The candidate seems to be a councilwoman from the city of Wheaton, population approximately 54,000.
According to polls she will has a very good chance of being a heartbeat away from the governorship in a big state.
Here's
her bio from the campaign website. She a Latina, the daughter of Ecuadorian and Cuban parents. She's an attorney who worked for the AG's office and in private practice. As you note she was elected to the Wheaton city council. She's been a personal friend of mine for a number of years, FWIW.
