ST. PAUL — Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Dave Thompson has chosen a fellow GOP state senator as his running mate, a Republican official with direct knowledge of the pick told The Associated Press.

The official told AP that Thompson would introduce second-term Sen. Michelle Benson as his choice for lieutenant governor today.

Thompson is one of seven Republicans vying to take on Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton but the first to fill out his ticket.

Benson was first elected in 2010, the same year as Thompson. She has emerged as a leading critic of the state’s health insurance marketplace. Married with three children, Benson lives in Ham Lake.