* From RollCall. Valid…

The national political tide isn’t looking good for Democrats, but in Illinois this November, down-ballot candidates have an even bigger problem: the drag of Gov. Pat Quinn.

* Valid…

Absent from the Governor’s Day lineup were any of the three Democrats facing competitive re-elections in the Land of Lincoln: Reps. Cheri Bustos, Brad Schneider and Bill Enyart.

Bustos and Enyart hail from the northwest and southwest corners of the state, respectively. President Barack Obama carried their districts in 2012, but Quinn lost them by large margins two years earlier, and this fall is looking even more troubling for the governor.

Schneider is facing a rematch with former Rep. Bob Dold in the 10th District — the Republican he ousted in 2012 by a mere 1-point margin, even as Obama won there with 58 percent. The district is located in the northern Chicago suburbs, and while it votes Democratic in presidential cycles, it sent moderate Republican Mark S. Kirk to the House for five terms before he rose to the Senate.

Former Judge Ann Callis, the Democratic nominee taking on Rodney Davis in the Springfield-based 13th District this fall, attended the breakfast. But she did not speak, nor did she bring with her any sort of large presence of supporters or staff to boost her candidacy.

* Goofy…

While vulnerable Democrats avoided sharing the spotlight with Quinn during their day at the fair, GOP candidates and elected officials clamored to share a stage with Rauner. They included Kirk, Rep. Aaron Schock and Rodney Davis, and each talked more about Rauner and a rising Republican tide in this traditionally blue state than they did about Obama.

Davis represents Springfield and he has some former aides working on Rauner’s campaign. Mark Kirk isn’t up this year and Schock barely has an opponent.

Absent from the festivities were Republicans Mike Bost, [Bost was apparently there, but I didn’t see him] Bobby Schilling and Bob Dold. Yet their Democratic opponents were zinged by RollCall for not showing.

Look, there’s no doubt that Quinn will be a drag on most of these races, particularly Downstate contests, and those Dem candidates don’t wanna be seen anywhere near the guy. But at least use the same standard when judging them.

* Also, the reporter described how some of Quinn’s backers were bused to Springfield. That happens every year and Rauner did the same exact thing. And she said there was no energy at the Quinn Director’s Lawn event. Was she even there? I thought they did a decent job firing up the crowd - not as well as Rauner did, but decent enough for showbiz.