* Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign is obviously planning to paint Mark Kirk as a definite vote to perpetuate the DC gridlock on President Obama’s proposals. Kirk is a smart guy, however, and is already trying to show that he won’t be an automatic “No” on everything…

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois, opposes a Kentucky Republican senator’s stand against extension of unemployment benefits.

Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., is blocking action in the Senate to extend the benefits. The blocked legislation also includes some highway money and Bunning’s action has temporarily shut down more than 40 projects nationwide, including a $1 million road project in Alexander County in far southern Illinois.

“I voted for the unemployment extension last week,” Kirk told The State Journal-Register during a visit to Springfield Monday. “In Washington, 41 senators can stop something, but one senator can only delay it. My read on this is the vote is pretty much 99 to one.”

Kirk’s campaign recently admitted that their own polling showed pretty high approval ratings for Obama in Illinois. So, he has to make sure he is more identified with, say, the new Republican Massachusetts Senator, who broke the impasse on a recent jobs bill, than people like Bunning.

* Kirk also scored some big PR points on the Giannoulias family bank yesterday…

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk said Monday the fate of his Democratic rival’s family bank should be an issue of concern for voters.

“I think there’s no question that Alexi Giannoulias bears direct personal responsibility for reckless loans that could bankrupt the Broadway Bank,” Kirk said of the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee. “I also worry that the possible collapse of the Broadway Bank will leave taxpayers left paying for Alexi’s reckless loans.”

Kirk’s comments came after the Tribune reported Sunday that the bank’s chief executive, Demetris Giannoulias, said the family must raise at least $85 million by the end of April to prevent a government seizure of the financial institution. Demetris Giannoulias is the older brother of Alexi Giannoulias.

More…

“Alexi Giannoulias engaged in the same kind of reckless lending that brought our U.S. economy to its knees,” Kirk said.

The Giannoulias campaign response sounded more than a little canned…

“While Alexi hasn’t been at the bank for four years, Mark Kirk has been in Washington for a decade supporting the failed and reckless Bush policies that got us into this economic mess,” Strand said.

It’s not a bad point, mind you, but it just oozes “DC talking point” blandness.

* Meanwhile, failed Democratic comptroller candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi is stepping up his efforts to be appointed the Democratic lt. governor candidate…

In addition, the Indo-American Democratic Organization is trying to collect 10,000 signatures on Krishnamoorthi’s behalf to present to House Speaker Mike Madigan.

I just can’t see how they could skip over an also-ran in the lt. governor’s race and give the slot to an also-ran in the comptroller’s race. But both parties are actively courting Indo-Americans, who haven’t quite yet established themselves here. It’s a delicate balancing act for sure. And that may be why more are saying they should just leave the slot open, including, apparently, Senate President John Cullerton…

CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery has learned top Dems are seriously considering leaving the slot open while simultaneously asking Illinois voters to abolish the office entirely. […]

Wiping out the office of lieutenant governor would save millions of tax dollars. And Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said Monday that having nobody as lieutenant governor would be preferable to the rookie Republican candidate.

He’s Jason Plummer, a 27-year-old whose main experience involves working for his father’s downstate lumber company. Democrats saw an opening last week, after Plummer stumbled repeatedly during an interview on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight.”

Cullerton on Monday expressed interest in floating a constitutional referendum to abolish the office of lieutenant governor, following the embarrassment his party endured over Cohen. Voters could be asked to approve the measure on the November ballot, if super-majorities in the House and Senate can approve the proposal this spring.

*** UPDATE *** The Democratic Party of Illinois has published the list online of everyone who has applied to be considered for the open lt. governor slot, as well as their applications and their resumes. Some even supply references. Click here to see the list. Some of the bigger names aren’t on the list, like Rep. Art Turner, Raja, etc.

…Adding… The links on that page appear to be working now.

* Related…

* NBC5 Broadway Bank coverage

* ABC7 Broadway Bank coverage