Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias continues to rack up endorsements in the race to replace Roland Burris in the U.S. Senate.
The latest is from freshman Congressman Mike Quigley, who earned a reputation as a reformer on the Cook County Board before winning the special election to replace Rahm Emanuel after Emanuel became President Obama's chief of staff.
"We're facing two wars and a recession while people are losing their jobs and their homes," Quigley said in a release issued by the Giannoulias campaign. "Big problems demand big change, and Alexi gets it."
Last week Giannoulias released a list of more than 60 elected officials who back his candidacy and reported raising nearly $2 million in campaign money already.
Giannoulias' endorsement list is lengthy though far from definitive. Illinois' senior Senator, Dick Durbin, has not backed a candidate and as Laura Washington noted in the Sun-Times, "Giannoulias has not corralled one black congressman, alderman or committeeman." His potential primary foes, however, appear stuck in first gear.
Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson continues to mull running, though she has yet to issue any formal statements, while Merchandise Mart boss Chris Kennedy has been quiet after a flurry of speculation that he was set to enter the race.
Read the full press release from Giannoulias' campaign: