The campaign calendar never stops. Illinois voters pick each party’s senatorial and gubernatorial candidates in . . . 53 days.

In the Senate primary, the best-known candidate on the Democratic side is state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias of Chicago; he’ll face off against Chicago inspector general David Hoffman, Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Robinson Jackson, and three other lesser-known candidates.

On the Republican side, Rep. Mark Kirk is the favorite, going up against lawyer Patrick Hughes, Alderman John Arrington, former circuit-court judge Don Lowery, lawyer Andy Martin, and former school-board member Kathleen Thomas.

In their gubernatorial race, incumbent Pat Quinn, the man who took the place of Rod Blagojevich, is running for a full term; he’s facing challenges from state comptroller Dan Hynes and two other Democrats, who have objections pending.

A small army of candidates has massed on the Republican side: entrepreneur Adam Andrzejewski, state senator Bill Brady, state senator Kirk Dillard, Illinois Republican party chairman Andy McKenna, small businessman and radio commentator Dan Proft, former state attorney general Jim Ryan, and DuPage County board chairman Bob Schillerstrom.

In that crowded pack, McKenna stands out for this visually memorable “Hair” ad:

I also like Proft’s slogan: “Illinois isn’t broken; it’s fixed.”