democrat aleksei giannoulias hoping for a big turnout among voters here in the city. but republican mark kirk likes his chances. kirk's people say they moved ahead in the race. most recent poll shows the congressman has a three to four point edge. traditional strong holds like chicago's collar counties and downstate illinois are expected to turn out for the gop. it could very well boil down to independent voters deciding who will sit in barack obama's old senate seat. >> i think there is a growing wave of independents that want thoughtful independent leadership. and someone who won't rubber stamp everything that nancy pelosi wants to do. >> reporter: but aleksei giannoulias hopes those independents will go democrat. he spent the morning shaking hands at union station hoping to win over any late undecides. have the independent vote but he is depending on a big democratic turnout. yesterday he worked to fire up the base in greektown traveling north to lincoln park hoping that he could summoned up enough excitement to pull out a come from behind victory. this is about tu

senate candidates aleksei giannoulias and mark kirk had after the election. in the loop, judy wang, wgn news. >>> election season isn't over for chicagoans. now it's on to the mayor's race but the list of candidates got a little shorter with the announcement that state senator ricky henden is dropping out. wgn's nancy loo is live at city hall now with the latest on that race. >> reporter: well, ricky henden came here to city hall to announce he won't be running for city hall. and he said he was doing so in the name of unity. the state senator is part of a powerful african-american coalition of elected officials, business people and community leaders poised to select a consensus black candidate to endorse in the mayor's race. that group has set up a meeting tonight with two likely mayoral candidates. the reverend james meeks of salem baptist church and long time congressman, danny davis. henden says he stepped back because he knew that coalition support would not be there for him. >> the fact that they called back, they did not call me back sent a clear messag

. >>> and like two sports rivals after a bruising contest, mark kirk and aleksei giannoulias shook hands and told each other good game. senator elect kirk met his democratic rival for beers and burgers last knight at the billy goat. giannoulias congratulated the winner. traded campaign stories gave him a small gift and shared his e-mail and cell phone number. they agreed the battle is over. >> tough rhetoric is during the campaign and now the time is to govern. >> people are getting killed out there with this lesession -- recession. we have to put down partisan silly politics and we shall all work together and focus on helping people. >> it will take at least a couple week for kirk's election to be certified and for him to be sworn in. he says his first priority is to vote to extend former president bush's income tax cut for all americans including wealthy ones. beyond that kirk says he will fight in the effort by president obama to raise taxes or expand government. >>> the illinois senate is back at work today in springfield to take up a plan to borrow $4 billion. but there is no guaran

. >>> the fdic is explainingout bank owned by aleksei giannoulias' family collapsed. fdic shut down broadway bank in april. agency says it was invested too heavily in real estate loans that turned into losses when the economy took a dive and blames management for not being able to withstand those losses and that the bank did better than its peers before the recession. the failure of broadway bank was a campaign issue in the giannoulias campaign. his loss in the race for senator. >>> the soldier who just received medal of honor from the president is going to visit chicago next month. staff sergeant salvatore giunta is going on a national tour. he will be in chicago december 12 through the 15. juntu grew up in iowa and is a huge bears fan. he will be honored at soldier field and the blackhawks game. he will visit a veterans hospital and sears headquarters at hoffmann esttses given the highest military honor for saving several soldiers during an ambush three years ago. >>> such an inspiration. >>> more financial trouble for the now defuncted spire development in chicago.