ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

TERRY MUTCHLER

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)—Gubernatorial candidate Richard Phelan tapped downstate Sen. Penny Severns to be his running mate in the 1994 election, two campaign sources confirmed Sunday.

Sources told The Associated Press that Phelan picked Severns because of her experience in the Legislature and her key position in budget process—chief negotiator for Senate Democrats.

‘‘He wants this to be more of a partnership than a traditional use the lieutenant governorship—which has been a do-nothing office,’‘ said one highly placed source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. ‘‘Sen. Severns shares his vision of that.’‘

Phelan, Cook County Board President, and Severns could not be reached for comment. Phelan wasn’t taking calls at his Chicago campaign headquarters, and no one answered at Severns’ home or office.

They are expected to make the announcement official Monday.

Severns, D-Decatur, had already announced a bid for state comptroller. But now will face Lt. Gov. candidate Sheila Smith.

The sources said Phelan approached Severns two or three weeks ago and ‘‘aggressively went after her’‘ to be second in command. It was unclear if Phelan tapped Severns before or after she announced for comptroller.

Severns’ selection could raise two key issues in the primary: credibility because she switched from comptroller to lieutenant governor and divisiveness because her candidacy may draw women voters from candidate Dawn Clark Netsch to Phelan.

David Everson, a political science professor at Sangamon State University, dismissed the credibility issue.

‘‘The campaign hasn’t even started and it’s not as if she’s making a last-minute judgment,’‘ he said. ‘‘I can’t fault her and I don’t think (voters) will.’‘

Jack Van Der Slik, director the Illinois Legislative Studies Center, agreed, saying Republicans would try to use it against her. But he didn’t think it would work.

‘‘She is a credible … solid, hard-working and everybody on the inside knows that. She’s been active in the party since she was a teenager,’‘ he said.

Van Der Slik said the Phelan-Severns ticket could turn the tide with some women and downstate voters.

‘‘The smart money on the Democratic side would figure that Netsch—nice woman, we thank her for all she’s done—but let’s face it she can’t win and it puts some momentum in the Phelan candidacy,’‘ he said.

Comptroller Netsch wasn’t available for comment. No one answered at her campaign headquarters.

State Democratic Party Chairman, Sen. Gary LaPaille, said Severns balances Phelan because she’s a downstater and a woman.

‘‘Penny is an articulate senator and will bring some legislative experience to his campaign,’‘ he said. ‘‘But I think (Attorney General) Roland Burris and Dawn Netsch will pick equally qualified candidates.’‘

LaPaille, D-Chicago, said Severns candidacy won’t hurt Netsch.

In Illinois, lieutenant governor candidates run separately in the primary but as a team in the general election. He said women voters could vote for both Netsch and Severns if they want.

Van Der Slik and Everson said choosing Severns was a deft political move by Democrats for another reason.

It extricated Severns from the controversial comptroller’s race with Sen. Earleen Collins, a Chicago Democrat. Severns was criticized for running against Collins and possibly knocking off an African-American candidate from the statewide ticket.