Real Estate Developer Patrick Hughes (R) has purchased a statewide airtime on FOX News for his first spot in his Illinois Senate bid, according to a campaign spokeswoman.

Rep. Mark Kirk (R) is widely considered to be the frontrunner for the Feb. 2 primary, but he has attracted a plethora of GOP challengers including Hughes, who has already put $500,000 of his own funds into his Senate bid.

CQ Politics currently rates this general election contest as a Tossup.