Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro on Sunday named former Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian his running mate for lieutenant governor, adding a Westchester County woman who is popular in state GOP circles.

Killian is former two-time state Senate candidate, having recently lost a special election last month in Westchester County to Democrat Shelley Mayer.

“Julie Killian is a champion for people who have no voice, who are left behind, who are in crisis and she will never back down from the challenges that are facing our state,” said Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive. “I’m proud to have Julie as my partner in this campaign to restore New Yorker’s belief in the future of our state.”

Killian is being named Molinaro’s running mate ahead of the state GOP convention, which will convene in New York City on Wednesday.

Molinaro is considered the likely Republican nominee for governor at this point as state Sen. John DeFrancisco last month suspended his campaign.

Her selection came after a search committee backed her. It was led by Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo and John Cahill, a former top aide to Gov. George Pataki.

The selection adds a dose of geographic balance as Killian lives in a key suburban battleground county.

“The easy thing to do would be to shrink from this opportunity and say I have had enough,” Killian said. “But single moms who need to get to work will still have to take a broken subway system, parents with children on opioids will still need to fight insurers for treatment and unemployed community college graduates will still need to find a job. I won’t back down against Andrew Cuomo or any opponent of reform, because everyday New Yorkers can’t.”