Ed Houck won't rule out run for lieutenant governor Ed Houck, who narrowly lost his Senate seat in November, tipping the chamber to Republicans, said Wednesday that he's not ruling out running for lieutenant governor next year. In recent weeks, someone - but Houck does not know who - started a Facebook page to urge the longtime former senator to run to replace Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R), who is running for governor. "It's interesting to think about," he told reporters. I'm not sure it's something that I want to pursue at this moment. Houck was in Richmond to tout the creation of a coalition that will advocate for the biopharmaceutical industry in the state. He was joined by Virginia Chamber of Commerce President Barry DuVal and Virginia Biotechnology Association Executive Director Mark Herzog. Houck, who was in involved in health care, said was spurred to get involved in the coalition because of two family members with illnesses. Other Democrats being mentioned as candidates for lieutenant governor are: former White House chief technology officer Aneesh Chopra, former House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, state Sen. Ralph S. Northam (Norfolk) and Del. Kenneth Cooper Alexander (Norfolk). Several Republicans have said they are exploring running for lieutenant governor as well, including Corey A. Stewart, the Prince William County Board chairman who has drawn controversy for his actions to combat illegal immigration, and Oakton businessman Keith Fimian, who lost back-to-back congressional races to Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D) in 2008 and 2010 in a district that includes much of Fairfax and Prince William counties.