With a front runner unclear, Republican gubernatorial candidates sought to gain extra points with voters during a televised debate last night.
The forum was at once snarky and deferential, with some candidates hardly fighting and others at odds during the entire debate.
They all agreed upon at least one thing: With former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna absent, it was a good time to attack the biggest spender in the race.
According to WTTW, which hosted the forum, the candidates were invited on Nov. 13.
Yet McKenna, under fire for allegations that he misused party funds for a poll, declined to attend, citing a scheduling conflict with another campaign event.
McKenna cited similar reasons for skipping a forum at the City Club earlier this month.
His absences highlight both his aversion to questions about his party activities as well as his confidence that he could pull away from the pack. He led a recent poll by the Chicago Tribune and WGN, and he was among the top two candidates in a poll from Public Policy Polling.
State Sen. Kirk Dillard, third in a December Tribune poll, emerged as the top candidate in the Public Policy poll this week.
That may have encouraged former Attorney General Jim Ryan, slipping in both polls and fund raising, to cozy up to Dillard.
Ryan agreed with Dillard repeatedly during the debate. On the state budget, for example, he explicitly sided with Dillard's suggestion to cut spending — hardly a controversial issue in GOP circles.
Showing agreement with Dillard could help Ryan siphon extra support from his supporters and moderates as a whole.
Dillard, who supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign, has been under attack for his Democratic dabbling from the start of this race.
It was a point he defended carefully during the forum, arguing that when a Democrat works with him on an issue such as ethics reform, he has the right to speak well of him.
Voters, Dillard said, are tired of politicizing.
Conservative Bill Brady, third in the Public Policy poll, showed little deference to any candidate. He pounced on Dillard for his ties to Obama, and when asked who he would support if he were not running, he said he planned to win and hadn't thought about the question.
Every other candidate except Ryan, who praised all of his rivals, mentioned another candidate. Dillard and Dan Proft, a trailing candidate in the race, said they would support Ryan. Adam Andrzejewski, a Tea Party conservative, said he would support Proft.
Factoring in undecided voters, this race is still winnable for McKenna, Dillard, Brady or Ryan. But if the candidates' attacks last night reveal their fears, the big toss-up appears to be between McKenna's conservative approach and Dillard's more moderate views.
That leaves voters an interesting choice in February. Will they try to provide contrast with the Democratic nominee, as Proft suggests they should, or will they try to mirror the success of Mark Kirk, the U.S. Senate candidate who threatens Democrats with middle-of-the-road credentials?
For more details on the debate, check out my Twitter stream below.