I concur with this reader’s take on the down-to-the-wire Illinois gubernatorial primary:

I think there is one point worth mentioning in the Illinois governor race. If I’m Mark Kirk, I’m crossing my fingers hoping Bill Brady holds on. Downstate Republicans rarely get a candidate they can easily identify with in a statewide race. Dillard is a prototypical Illinois Republican, and Kirk is more Dillard than Brady. Kirk will need to do a lot of downstate outreach to win. Brady is someone that will bring these voters to the booth. He gives Kirk the same benefits that weeks of Palin visits would bring, without any of the side effects. I also think Brady, being from Bloomington, will be especially good for Kinzinger in the 11th, and really all the downstate house districts.

I’d just note that Dillard looked familiar, and I finally remembered where I had seen him before:

Somewhere, Florida governor Charlie Crist is saying, “Come on! I just hugged the guy, and I’m getting hammered in my primary! This guy does an ad for Obama and he’s still got a shot to win his GOP primary?”