* Comptroller Dan Hynes endorsed Rep. Sara Feigenholtz in the 5th Congressional District today. From a press release…

“Sara Feigenholtz is the right candidate at the right time to represent the needs of residents and families of the 5th district in Congress,” Hynes said. “Sara has consistently rejected political gamesmanship in Springfield in order to get things done for people and her passion for health care will make her a great partner for President Obama in Congress to help all Americans get the health care they deserve.”

Hynes is not the first statewide official to endorse in the contest. According to the Tribune, Treasurer Giannoulias is backing Rep. John Fritchey.

* Rep. Feigenholtz’s campaign loan has become a minor issue…

Feigenholtz announced Friday she was lending her campaign $100,000. She has raised the most money of any candidate in the race — $550,000. But Fritchey and others who got into the race later are now outraising her.

“I find it pretty ironic that someone who made it a major selling point of her campaign that she could raise so much money now has to dig into her own pockets,'’ Fritchey said Saturday at a candidates forum.

“At the outset of this campaign, I knew I was going to make this kind of loan for a final push to get our mesage out,” Feigenholtz said.

Including the loan, Feigenholtz has a $634K $734K to $522K total cash lead over Fritchey…

* Quote of the week…

There’s been a lot more coverage of the Chicago Auto Show than there has of the special election.

All this editorializing by the Tribune and the political chatter from others about holding a special US Senate election is hugely ironic, considering that the media has not given this congressional special election the coverage it deserves and the voters are showing almost no interest, either.

* Jesse Greenberg has some new Fritchey mail, and posted a new Charlie Wheelan campaign video.