CHICAGO | Whoever wants to be elected governor of Illinois a year from now had better be good to teachers.

As the close fight to be the Democratic nominee gets filthy between the two principal contenders, Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes, union support is being sorted out.

The score is split so far, with Quinn earning nods from the Service Employees International and the Teamsters Joint Council 25. Both represent thousands of workers.

But Hynes' allegiance is no small force. It includes many of the building trade unions, electrical workers, sheet metal workers, roofers and ironworkers.

And this election could hinge on the union vote, one expert says.

Bob Breving, assistant director of the Labor Center of DePaul University, said an open Democratic primary naturally brings a split in the work force.

"There's no place else for unions to go," Breving said. "They won't put their heads on the chopping block for Republicans, because they'll cut it off."

Which brings us to the teachers.

Representing more than 100,000 employees, the second-largest union in the state, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, teeters between the two Democrats.

Federation spokesman Dave Comerford said the union could endorse someone by the end of November, if it backs any candidate at all for the Feb. 2 primary.

Comerford said the IFT has had good relationships with both Democrats and represents workers in both Hynes' office and in the lieutenant governor's office Quinn occupied until replacing ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was removed this year after being indicted.

But the teachers union wants a candidate willing to boost education by raising state income taxes.

"We've got to raise new revenue, and income tax is the way to do it," Comerford said. "If something isn't done, it could possibly decimate school districts."

Their ideal candidate is one who can make that decision without fear - someone with political courage, Comerford said. But at the same time, Quinn came under fire from the union in May for taking the bold step of pitching higher teacher pension contributions as a way to bail out the beleaguered state budget.

February primary candidates for Illinois governor:

Republican

ANDRZEJEWSKI, ADAM

BRADY, BILL

DILLARD, KIRK W.

SCHILLERSTROM, ROBERT J. "BOB"

PROFT, DAN

RYAN, JIM

McKENNA, ANDY

Democrat

HYNES, DANIEL W.

QUINN, PAT

WALLS, III, WILLIAM "DOCK"

SCANLAN, ED

Green

WHITNEY, RICH

MAYERS, RICHARD B.