BLAGOJEVICH
Rod reunites his 2002 gang for another hurrah.

  Lon Monk, 47, campaign manager: Monk and Blago go back to Pepperdine law school, where they roomed together in the early 1980s. A former sports agent whose clients included Arthur Ashe, Nancy Kerrigan, and Ivan Lendl, Monk came back from the West Coast to run Blago's 2002 campaign.
  Sheila Nix, 44, deputy campaign manager for communication and policy: A Chicago native, Nix honed her political skills in Washington for 14 years, working for Sen. Bob Kerrey (gaining major experience during the Nebraska Democrat's 1992 presidential bid) and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). After returning to Illinois, she worked as chief of staff for Blair Hull in his 2004 Senate primary fight.
  Scott Kennedy, 30, director of operations: Kennedy, who heads day-to-day campaign operations including financial management and budgeting, handled operations for Blagojevich in 2002 and Barack Obama in 2004.
  Brian Daly, 36, deputy campaign manager: An ex-marine, Daly first tasted politics as crew chief of Marine One, the presidential helicopter (flying Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton). A strong logistics planner and hands-on strategist; has worked for Blago since his time in Congress
  Danielle Stilz, 27, finance director: In 2002, Stilz was hired fresh out of the University of Iowa to raise funds and serve as deputy director of Blago's inaugural committee. Has been working since in the governor's office

 

TOPINKA
Topinka + her staff + prominent loaners from the Illinois GOP = conservative hootenanny.

Brian McFadden, 41, campaign manager: A Republican warhorse who wins campaigns (former state comptroller Loleta Didrickson, former Springfield mayor Karen Hasara), McFadden was called to service after the Republican primary. Chief of staff for the state senate GOP, McFadden took a leave in what could be a tough year for Republican legislative candidates.
John McGovern, 36, spokesman: McGovern once handled the same responsibility for the highest-ranking Illinoisan in the federal government-U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert. The résumé for this Northwestern law school grad also boasts stints with local Republicans Mark Kirk, Peter Fitzgerald, and Andy McKenna
Josh Potts, 30, deputy campaign manager for political operations: A Topinka veteran with an MBA, Potts once worked as press secretary for 15th Congressional District candidate Sam Ewing (who lost to Tim Johnson). The DePaul alum has been with Topinka since 2002.
Jane Hay, 35, manager of scheduling: A paralegal who once worked as office manager of a Springfield firm, Hay must have skills: Topinka is reportedly a stickler about making appearances on time.
Lori Montana, 48, fundraising consultant: Formerly head of the Illinois Arts Council, Montana worked as head fundraiser on Jim Edgar's winning 1994 campaign. (Her husband, Jim, was Edgar's chief legal counsel.) Eager for a win after working on Jack Ryan's abandoned Senate bid in 2004

Photography: Staff Courtesy Of The Campaigns