Cook County Republicans are on the hunt this morning for a candidate to run for county board president. That’s after a name familiar with Chicago politics announced he will not seek the Republican nomination.

Paul Vallas was the head of Chicago Public Schools for many years. He now runs the school system in New Orleans. He’s been testing the political waters back in Cook County for the better part of this year. The idea being that he would run for county board president as a Republican. But Vallas now says he has more work he wants to do down South.

VALLAS: Any run for public office, or any preparation to run for public office while still holding this job would be too distracting and perhaps too potentially controversial.

With no Vallas, Republicans are left with a big hole to fill on the primary ballot. Republican County Commissioner Tony Peraica responded to the news by asking followers of his Twitter feed if he should run. Peraica lost the board president election in 2006 to Democrat Todd Stroger.