PALATINE, Ill. — Illinois State Senator Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) is submitting his resignation today. He will become the second high-ranking legislative ally of Gov. Bruce Rauner to resign in recent weeks.

The political blog Capitol Fax reported that Murphy will submit his resignation today, so he can become the senior government relations director for Mac Strategies Group, a strategic communications and public affairs firm founded by Ryan McLaughlin.

Murphy, 46, was first elected to the state Senate in 2006. He briefly positioned himself to run for governor in 2010, before throwing his support to rival candidate Andy McKenna and shifting his focus to running for lieutenant governor. Murphy narrowly lost in the GOP primary to Jason Plummer.

Murphy is a personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney who was not on the ballot this fall. The sources, who asked not to be named ahead of a formal retirement announcement, said Murphy believed the time was right to leave the General Assembly and help his family, which includes four children.

Murphy’s exodus will be the second to hit Rauner’s legislative cheering section.

Murphy’s resignation comes a few weeks after Rauner lost his Illinois House floor leader. Rep. Ron Sandack, of Downers Grove, abruptly resigned after taking down his social media accounts and saying several fraudulent ones were set up in his name.