* Comptroller Dan Hynes has been endorsed by the Laborers’ Union in the Democratic primary for governor. That’s a pretty big one. Gov. Quinn dinked around with the capital bill so long that he alienated lots of unions in the process. And Hynes has worked hard to win union support over the years.

The Laborers also endorsed Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias for US Senate today.

* Speaking of Giannoulias, take a look at some of the crosstabs from that recent Rasmussen poll between him and Republican US Senate candidate Mark Kirk. Kirk leads Giannoulias by 3 points, 41-38, according to the poll. But African-American voters favor the Democrat by just 61-27. That’ll probably change unless something really bad happens in the primary race against Cheryle Jackson.

Democrats break 63-22 for Giannoulias. That many self-identified Democratic voters favoring a declared Republican candidate is not good news for the Dems. Cheryle Jackson’s numbers with Democrats are worse - 51-28. Republicans are more solidly behind Kirk, 71-13 against Giannoulias and 76-9 against Jackson.

Independents and others go 45-18 for Kirk over Giannoulias. Those numbers ought to set off alarm bells. Not just for Giannoulias, but Democrats.

* But a group of conservative activists has sent a letter to Republican county chairmen asking that they support Patrick Hughes for Senate instead of Mark Kirk. From the letter…

We find the candidacy of Congressman Mark Kirk for this key position on the 2010 November ballot completely unacceptable.

At this time when grass roots voters of both parties are outraged by the attempts of liberal Democrats to unnecessarily expand government at the expense of tax payers, we believe it is necessary to nominate a candidate for U.S Senate who clearly articulates mainstream Republican values. Unfortunately, Congressman Kirk’s record in Washington has not represented the fundamental values and positions of the Republican Party on issue after issue.

We remind you that only mainstream, right of center Republican Candidates… Al Salvi and Peter Fitzgerald… have run competitive U.S Senate races since 1980. We believe it is important for you, the Republican County Chairs, who represent the real grassroots of the Party to express your view on the matter.

We strongly recommend to you the candidacy of Patrick Hughes, a successful attorney and developer from Hinsdale who shares our mainstream conservative values. Pat Hughes is 40, married with three children, a leading opponent of Pat Quinn’s 50% tax increase, and a vocal opponent of Barack Obama’s plans to bury tax payers under cap and trade, socialized medicine, continued growth of our national debt, and a complete rejection of our fundamental moral values.

The letter was signed by Paul Caprio of Family-Pac, Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch of Concerned Cristians of America, David Diersen of Taproot Republicans, former state Rep. Penny Pullen, talk show host Sandy Rios, Ralph Rivera of Illinois Citizens for Life, Tom Roeser, Phyllis Schlafly of the Eagle Forum and David Smith of the Illinois Family Institute.

* US Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the NRSC, speaks about Alexi Giannoulias…