As has been reported widely, SEIU's independent expenditure arm bought up about $250,000 in local airtime this week to run their ad supporting Sara Feigenholtz in the 5th Congressional District race. The spot is entirely positive and will likely run through primary day, so don't be surprised if Feigenholtz swaps out her own positive ads and starts running comparitives against Quigley: 

Feigenholtz also received more labor support this morning from the United Steelworkers District 7:

“Sara’s 14-year record of fighting for people and her six years as Chair of the Human Services Appropriations Committee in the Illinois House is exactly the kind of experience we need in Washington to help undo the damage done by eight years of failed Bush policies,” said Frank Cavarretta, Illinois Legislative Coordinator for United Steelworkers District 7. “Sara has been a leader on expanding health care to working families in Illinois and we need that kind of leadership in Congress right now.”

And State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias endorsed John Fritchey today (after holding a fundraiser for him earlier this month):

“John Fritchey has served as a tireless leader in strengthening ethics in government, curbing abuses and improving transparency and accountability," Giannoulias said. "John has led the charge to end pay-to-play politics in Springfield and will continue to advocate for a reform-based agenda for the people of the fifth district in Washington, D.C."

Tom Geoghegan has also received some support on the national stage from two high-profile writers, neither of whom are progressives: U.S. News & World Report's Michael Barone (who cites his "intellectual honesty") and Slate's Mickey Kaus (who calls him a "big-thinking reformer" and "the opposite of a hack").

There have been a flurry of interesting mailers arriving on doorsteps in the district lately.  Fritchey's "I put ketchup on my hotdogs" piece has left some voters a bit perplexed (if the emails I've been receiving are any indication):

Mike Quigley continues to take shots at Fritchey and Feigenholtz for their votes in favor of the January 2008 CTA bailout (this time riffing off a Geico commercial):

Feigenholtz has stayed more or less consistent with her positive, health-care oriented literature.  In this case, an EMILY's List mailer continues that theme:

Meanwhile, Geoghegan's mailers are, in a word, classy (click the button in the upper righthand corner to expand):

Finally, Charlie Wheelan released another clever spot -- this one an extended, animated web ad -- that depicts him as a Batman-like character:

Full disclosure: The SEIU Illinois Council -- which is the sole sponsor of Progress Illinois -- has endorsed Sara Feigenholtz in the 5th Congressional District race. Progress Illinois will not be endorsing any candidate in this race.