Two quick notes from the home front:

In Illinois' 8th Congressional district, Ken Arnold, an employee benefits consultant who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination for this seat last cycle, has announced he's going to take another shot at unseating incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean in 2008. Arnold will face off in the primary against businessman and political newcomer Steve Greenberg, the only other announced candidate on the Republican side to date.

In Illinois 10, Democrat Dan Seals, who ran a solid but unsuccessful effort against incumbent Republican Mark Kirk last year and has already announced his intention for a rematch, faces a strong primary challenge in the person of Jay Footlik. Footlik is a former Clinton administration official who served as the president's principal liaison to the Jewish community, and he also served as a similar role in advising the Kerry campaign in 2004.