*** UPDATE *** Mark Kirk’s now up with a response ad, called “Distract.” Rate it…

[ *** End of Update *** ]

* The Alexi Giannoulias campaign has a new TV ad up which has been running since Friday. It’s called “Struggle.” Supposedly, this one is much more of a significant buy than the last one, but I’m checking the numbers. Rate it…

* The NRSC has a new [Internet-only] ad whacking Giannoulias for his ad…

Related story from Lynn Sweet…

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the chair of the Senate Democratic political operation hit Chicago on Sunday to map fund-raising strategy with top donors to assist the Alexi Giannoulias Illinois Senate campaign.

Menendez, who oversees the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, huddled with about 30 contributors–who can tap their personal networks for more donors–at a session held at the Saddle and Cycle Club on 900 W. Foster Ave., a few blocks west of Lake Michigan on the North Side.

I was told the take away from the meeting was this: there was a “positive and engaged conversation about the state of the race and the DSCC support for it.”

* Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago) asks NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde what gun control bills he could possibly support…

* Senate President John Cullerton told reporters yesterday that the General Assembly could adjourn for the summer by Thursday…

* Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno answers a question about whether she could use the negotiations on McPier to extract an agreement on the budget…

* And the House held a service for fallen members of the armed forces from Illinois yesterday. Watch…