IL-Gov: New Poll

[nick]

Rasmussen:

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR
Judy Baar Topinka (R) 48%
Rod Blagojevich (D) 37%

Ron Gidwitz (R) 40%
Rod Blagojevich (D) 40%

Jim Oberweis (R) 39%
Rod Blagojevich (D) 43%

[AuH2O]

Somebody's doneski.

[Democratic Hawk]

Somebody's doneski.

Providing his opponent is Topinka

Dave

[Adlai Stevenson]

I think Rasmussen must have overstated Topinka's lead slightly.  Unless Blagojevich is sinking deeper and deeper into a morass; this must be one of the rare cases in which the GOP will defeat an incumbent Democratic Governor.  The only other current case I can think of being possibly Doyle in Wisconsin.

[Gabu]

Somebody's doneski.

I hope Blagojevich is as doneski as Kaine was.

[ian]

I also like Blagojevich and hope he wins...  I'll be sad if he doesn't. 

[Reaganfan]

I think Rasmussen must have overstated Topinka's lead slightly.  Unless Blagojevich is sinking deeper and deeper into a morass; this must be one of the rare cases in which the GOP will defeat an incumbent Democratic Governor.  The only other current case I can think of being possibly Doyle in Wisconsin.

I don't know...everyone questioned Rasmussen when it showed Swann leading Rendell..and it is now clear, that race...while very close, is leaning Swann. Man..if we get Ohio, PA, FL, IL Governors...WHO HOO!

[BobOMac2k2]

This is sick

[muon2]

Somebody's doneski.

Providing his opponent is Topinka

Dave

The Chicago Tribune's new poll makes that likely.

Topinka 38
Oberweis 17
Gidwitz 11
Brady 8
Other 2
Undecided 25

On the other side:
Blagojevich 62
Eisendrath 18
Other 2
Undecided 18
and 1/3 of Eisendrath's supporters have never heard of him - a big anti-Blago factor that can play out in the general election.
 

[Grad Students are the Worst]

and 1/3 of Eisendrath's supporters have never heard of him - a big anti-Blago factor that can play out in the general election.

That is certainly...pathetic.

[MSUfan]

Why is Blagojevich so unpopular? I like him.

[opebo]

Why is Blagojevich so unpopular? I like him.

I really have no specific information on that, but certainly Illinois, like all of the middle west, is in atrocious shape economically. 

I think a lot of governerors get blamed for that - in Missouri the extreme rightwinger Blunt is terribly unpopular, but then again so was his predecessor the moderate Holden.  If Illinois is anything like Missouri it is just a state full of people who are hard to please because their standard of living keeps declining.

[MSUfan]

Why is Blagojevich so unpopular? I like him.

I really have no specific information on that, but certainly Illinois, like all of the middle west, is in atrocious shape economically. 

I think a lot of governerors get blamed for that - in Missouri the extreme rightwinger Blunt is terribly unpopular, but then again so was his predecessor the moderate Holden.  If Illinois is anything like Missouri it is just a state full of people who are hard to please because their standard of living keeps declining.

Ah I see. It is the same thing that happend to Granholm except he got hit harder than her and the republicans seemed to have found a credible candidate in Illinois. They havent in michigan.

[muon2]

Why is Blagojevich so unpopular? I like him.

A good question, so I asked an informed, generally independent Illinoisan why she didn't like him. Two things stood out.

First, he was shirking an important duty of his office. He won't live in the Governor's mansion downstate. Initially this was about staying with his family, but if you commit to a job, you commit to the resposibilities that go with the job. By not spending time in Springfield he's not available for meetings with legislators and other policy makers as the laws and state budget are crafted. This was an interesting view from an NE IL resident, since it is usually associated with downstaters.

Second, he has been alll too willing to make promises that seem to be worth no more than the ink to print them. In a recent lawsuit, the Gov's defense team argued that certain actions were not his responsibility, because his words were "political puffery". Note that's a quote from Blago's own attorneys.

There's a reason that he sits near the bottom of the SUSA polls, stuck in the upper 30's to low 40's in approval. The public doesn't trust him. Neither does the legislature who resorted to unprecedented written memoranda of understanding last year to hold him to his pledges.

[ill ind]

  I believe part of Blago's unpopularity stems from the corruption issue.  His predecessor George Ryan is now on trial for corruption and the feds are investigating Blago's administration.
  When elected he promissed to change the way things were done down in Springfield.  He did--for 26 years if you wanted to do business with the state, your check was made out to the Republican Party--now if you want to do business with the state your check is made out to the Democrats.  That is the only change!!!
  His total unwillingness to deal with the corruption issue, and the fact that he comes across just as sleazy as his predecessor are really hurting his image.

Ill Ind

[HardRCafé]

Keno!

[BobOMac2k2]

Plus I think he is just too sexy for the people to handle.

[So the Heroes Fall]

Somebody's doneski.

As doneski as Kaine was, it seems.

[Gabu]

Somebody's doneski.

As doneski as Kaine was, it seems.

I already raised that one months ago.

Somebody's doneski.

I hope Blagojevich is as doneski as Kaine was.

[© Tweed the Younger]

apparently when someone's 'doneski' it's a code word for that they're going to win by at least 5 points. (Granholm, Kaine, Blagojevich)

[Grad Students are the Worst]

And statistical evidence continues to compile that AuH2O really shouldn't be listened to.

[HardRCafé]

The rationale for Topinka was that Democrats were most likely to defect for her.

The result speaks for itself.

[Verily]

The rationale for Topinka was that Democrats were most likely to defect for her.

The result speaks for itself.

Instead, Democrats realized Topinka was just as sleazy as Blagojevich and voted for Whitney if they hated Blago.

[OC]

Evidently, it wasn't that, she didn't make a case for herself to the voters. And Blagojevich ended up winning.