Chicago Sun Times – The day she received the backing of one of her biggest competitors, 2nd congressional candidate Robin Kelly says she’s far from starting any early celebrations.

“I take nothing for granted, I am working hard, I will have my nose to the grind until 7 p.m. Feb 26. My staff is working hard, my volunteers are working hard,” Kelly said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times on Sunday.

Toi Hutchinson formally announced on Sunday that she was dropping out of the race and putting her support behind Kelly. A recent poll released by Kelly showed herself and one-term former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson in a statistical dead heat with Hutchinson coming up next.

Asked what she thought about her chances against Halvorson, Kelly said: “I wouldn’t be in it if I didn’t think I could win.”

Besides Halvorson and Kelly, another lead contender is 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale, who is expected to pull much of the city vote from the district, which also stretches into Will and Kankakee counties. Kelly, though, has benefited from an infusion of $1.4 million put in by Independence USA SuperPac, which has barraged the campaign with attack ads against Halvorson. The political action committee, headed by Michael Bloomberg, formally endorsed Kelly on Friday.

The candidates are competing to replace disgraced former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. who on Friday was charged with massive misuse of campaign funds.

More from WLS-TV – February 17, 2013 — Charges of back room deals are flying in the 2nd Congressional District as one of the leading candidates has dropped out of the race.

State Senator Toi Hutchinson is pulling out and backing another candidate, Robin Kelly.

Hutchinson said she did not want to risk dividing the community.

Candidate Debbie Halvorsen accuses Hutchinson and Kelly of engaging in a back room deal at the urging of unnamed outsiders.

In a series of ads Halvorson has been attacked on gun issues.

Those ads are backed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Candidate Anthony Beale says a political operative urged him Friday night to get out of the race.

And he too slammed the influence of outside money.

“We’re extremely troubled that we have a billionaire out of New York trying to buy this election,” Beale said. “The NRA has been spending money for years and I think that this particular PAC they’re counter balancing what the NRA has been doing for a very long time,” said Kelly.

The Democratic winner will compete against the winner of the Republican primary.

There are five candidates running: Lenny McAllister, Paul McKinley, Beverly Reid, James Taylor, Sr. and Eric Wallace.