But lots of other papers have gone for state Sen. KIRK DILLARD, R-Hinsdale, who is attached at the hip, campaign-wise, to former Gov. JIM EDGAR, for whom he was chief of staff years ago. But Dillard lost points among some for his part in a campaign ad for BARACK OBAMA during the presidential primary season.

State Sen. BILL BRADY of Bloomington, whose district includes part of Sangamon County, is one of the contenders who has criticized Dillard on that point.

I’m far from certain, but I still think that, in a low-turnout primary, Republicans are looking for someone who can win in the fall in an increasingly Democratic state, and Dillard’s relationship with Obama won’t be seen as fatal by all. I’ll guess that Dillard will win the primary.

And I don’t want to leave the governor’s race before saying how entertaining candidate DAN PROFT of Chicago has been. I’m not minimizing his seriousness, but the man can turn a phrase, like when he chided his opponents for “navel gazing.”

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Gov. PAT QUINN had a ton of automatic good will dumped in his lap a year ago, when he took over for the ousted Blagojevich. He called for an income tax increase, but couldn’t get the General Assembly to go along, so the budget hole remains big. Quinn continues to be a caring advocate for the families of fallen soldiers. He’s a former outsider and nice guy who seems really upset that someone in his own party is running against him.

That someone is Comptroller DAN HYNES, whose quiet style was highlighted when, instead of holding a rally, he made his campaign announcement for governor at a news conference called to discuss his own fiscal plan, including an income tax increase for richer folks.

More at the SJ-R