The big question now is how many votes Rich Whitney gets.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich maintained a sizable advantage over Republican Judy Baar Topinka even as new corruption allegations surfaced involving his close supporters, a new Tribune/WGN-Ch. 9 poll shows.
A week before the election, the survey of 600 likely voters shows Blagojevich backed by 44 percent, Topinka supported by 29 percent and Green Party candidate Richard Whitney with 13 percent. Another 13 percent were undecided in the survey, conducted Friday through Sunday, which has an error margin of 4 percentage points. […]
The poll also found that in the race to replace Topinka in the treasurer’s office, Chicago banker Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat, has the support of 40 percent of voters compared to 23 percent for Republican state Sen. Christine Radogno of Lemont. Green Party candidate Dan Rodriguez Schlorff got 5 percent.
But nearly 30 percent of voters were undecided in the treasurer contest and large numbers had never heard of either major party candidate, despite a series of stories about questionable loans given by the Giannoulias family’s Broadway Bank, the survey showed.
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- Nickname - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 1:10 am:
I saw Radogno’s new ad on TV tonight. It packs a lot into 30 seconds, giving both a negative and positive ad. I think they might be packing a bit too much into the ad, leaving me a little confused after watching it.
- fedup dem - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 6:38 am:
Voters say they haven’t heard of the State Treasurer candidates at this late date? It seems to me that is an indication that the news media has failed to do its job in covering that race.
- GetaGrip - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 6:48 am:
“Gov. Rod Blagojevich maintained a sizable advantage over Republican Judy Baar Topinka even as new corruption allegations surfaced involving his close supporters”
What a sad state of affairs…
Four more years of scandal, interns, kickbacks and denials. I imagine at some point it will make great made for T.V. movie. Aspiring mobsters will all start running for office in Illinois (or already have).
You go Rod!
- (618) Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:15 am:
Good news for the Governor and Alexi. Looks like November 7 will be a good night for Democrats all over the State.
- Anon - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:19 am:
We will no doub’t soon see a Zogby poll showing JBT dead even or leading? After all, this is what Jim Ryan had hit the papers the Sunday before the election in 2002.
- realist - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:27 am:
Lets be honest, Democracts are not leading in Illinois because they have better ideas. Democrats are winning because of one word BUSH. any other year and Rod would already be packing his Elvis crap out of the Governors Office. Oh well, 4 more years of him will ruin this state and almost any democrats chances in 2010 in Illinois. wonder when Governor Quinn will be sworn in??????????
- DOWNSTATE - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:35 am:
This poll makes no sense when all the other polls say 9 to 10 points.Wasn’t it the Trib a couple of weeks ago that had the Gov. at 30 points,if so you mean he’s dropped 16 points in a couple of weeks.OUCH and that means HOMERUN FOR JUDY.The TOPINKA EXPRESS is on time for big win.
- B Hicks - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:36 am:
Let’s be more honest, you people saddled yourselves with a loser. Heck, if it weren’t for Bill Brady, ol’ Lucky Strike wouldn’t have made it out of the primary; a loser from the git-go. Don’t blame G.W.
What an arrogant bunch.
Four more, baby!
Dude, you’re pathetic.
- Bill - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:40 am:
All right, let’s hear it. First, blast the polling methodology, sample size,randomization, and anything else you can think of no matter how mathematically preposterious it may be.
Second, call the voters stupid, uninformed, corrupt, clueless.
Next, describe how all of your friends and everyone you talk to hates Blagojevich( don’t forget to call him whatever insulting names you can think of)and loves Topinka. Be sure to point out how in your “neck of the woods” there are thousands of Judy signs and no Rod signs.
Now, talk about how Rod is a crook,how even if he gets elected he won’t last 4 years, how his wife is a crook, and make fun of his kids for good measure.
Don’t forget to point out that he doesn’t live in that dump of a mansion in Springfield and make fun of his hair and his resemblance to Elvis.
While you are at it take a few shots at Chicago, Cook County,and Todd Stroger.
There, now doesn’t that feel better.
Reality is so hard to deal with sometimes.
Seven more days then four more years.
…and at this point it is a little too late to bring it on.
- (618) Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:47 am:
Downstate: There was never a Tribune poll that had the Governor up by 30 points.
Looks like the Express ran out of track before it ever got started.
It will be a four pack day after the Marlboro Woman reads this poll.
- Real Clear - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:58 am:
I love how the Trib doesn’t mention the corruption allegations getting close to her big allies, Bob Kjellander and Bill Cellini.
Just 2 more points to fall before Topinka is down to the 27% that Alan Keyes got in ‘04.
Topinka’s embarrassing antics and horrible campaign are dragging the whole Republican ticket down.
It will definitely be a clean sweep for the Democrats of all the statewides.
- Manboobs - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 7:58 am:
I could understand blindly backing your candidate if he/she was accomplishing something, or had a vision of what they wanted to accomplish, or was at the least NOT selling jobs, but to look the other way when the Gov. has pushed this state to the edge of financial collapse just because he’s in your party is irresponsible. If we’re lucky, he’ll be voted out next week. If not, he’ll be out of the picture sometime within the next four years. Those of us left will be stuck with billions in unpaid bills, unfunded liabilities and few incentives to offer businesses to come to Illinois.
- Ravenswood Right Winger - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:09 am:
Whitney may get as high as 15%.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:09 am:
Bill, feeling good today, eh?
“Reality is so hard to deal with sometimes.”
Well said.
The reality here, win or lose, about Rod Blagojevich is that he completely failed at the cornerstone of his 2002 campaign-to clean up State Government. Instead, he made it worse. He delegated major governmental responsibilities to unappointed, unaccountable individuals who also happened to be a) his chief fundraisers and b) corrupt.
The results? Predictable. Federal indictments and more shame and embarrassment for Illinois.
Of course, you will say, with the consistent arrogance that is second only to the Blagojevich venality, “he is an honest man who would never do anything wrong.”
Save that crap for people who don’t know any better. Besides, the final determination on that matter is yet to be made.
If Blagojevich wins, it’s not because he is a good Governor or an honest man. He can thank Geoege W. Bush, Judy Baar Topinka, and the two guys that raised all that money who he has now forgotten he ever knew.
- Bill - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:16 am:
Rod has “accomplished” many things including but not limited to:
Raising the minimum wage,
Filling in the “donut hole” for seniors on medicare part B,
Raised funding levels for k-12 education more than any Gov in history,
Cut the size of a bloated state bureaucracy,
Instituted health insurance programs for all children,
Sponsored landmark legislation providing pre-school to all 3-4 year olds
Enhanced health care for veterans,
And many other accomplishments to numerous to list all wothout raising sales or income taxes.
It is too bad the the Repubs blindly oppose all of the Gov’s initiatives without offering any programs, plans, or ideas of their own.
The real people, the voters of Illinois will not be fooled. They will vote for the BEST candidate, Rod Blagojevich. These poll results show that.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:16 am:
You know, you can knock Bill for the man and party he obviously supports, but he did neatly summarize about 20 posts that usually occur following the posting of a poll like this.
- Won't Get Fooled Again - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:30 am:
Sorry Bill. The Governor is either a fool or corrupt. Either way, he hasn’t “rocked the system” or done away with “business as usual.”
I’ll be voting for Whitney.
- Bill - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:42 am:
Won’t,
Whitney is probably a good choice for you. Fire away! No pun intended.
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 8:57 am:
The interesting question left in the gubernatorial race is how many votes the Green Party gets. Anything over 10% will be astonishing. The question for the Greens will be how to take advantage of this large protest vote in 2008. Will the party fall to radicals, like Ross Perot’s Reform Party? Or will they put forward smart candidates in areas where there’s a need for a real alternative to Democrats?
- Bill - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 9:11 am:
The sky is falling, the sky is falling, the world is coming to an end and Rod is the worst guy on earth and it is all his fault!!!!
The voters aren’t buying it.
- wow - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 9:15 am:
It is a great way of saying none of the above with a vote for Whitney.
- Realist - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 9:43 am:
Once again, reality shows its face–ugly though it may be sometimes
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 9:51 am:
Do we really think all the Dems will be cheering.
Nope. They would be far better off long-term with a JBT win.
Blago is going to be very, very expensive for the Dems, because it is going to cost Lisa and Alexi a heck of a lot more to win the guv’s mansion in 2010. JBT is likely to have been a one-termer.
There is always a silver lining and I am looking forward to four more years with no state income tax increase and with endless appalling yet entertaining corruption stories.
- OneManBlog - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 10:01 am:
Bill,
Doesn’t it bother you a bit your guys positives are so low?
- Angie - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 12:24 pm:
Oh my God! Rod is sending money towards the Illinois Holocaust Museum.
How nice! His little Sister Claudette (a top aid to Minister bigot of the Nation of Islam) faux pas led to the Jewish members of his hate crimes panel resigning in disgust. So NOW he’s trying to look good to the Jewish community? Is that it? Unbelievable.
- sine die - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 1:28 pm:
I hear the new Zogby poll has Rod 39%, Judy 33%. Anyone else know anything about this poll?
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 2:17 pm:
Some last minute but it’s probably too late recommendations for JBT:
Get some help from Tony Snow. He is terrific. He did a great job nailing John Kerry for that remark about the supposed inadequate abilities of troops in Iraq. Kerry is clueless…
Get Laura Bush to campaign for you. Everybody is impressed by Laura who also offsets JBT’s quirky persona.
- Citizen A - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 2:34 pm:
My opinion is that Governor Topinka and AG Madagin will rout out the corruption that is left behind by the current occupant. I know, a sexist comment - expecting the women to clean up the mess made by the men. Sorry ’bout that, but it’s true, this time !!
- Boone Logan Square - Tuesday, Oct 31, 06 @ 4:54 pm:
Unless Alexi actually gets indicted this week, he will win. Lisa Madigan may be very busy soon.
- Angie - Wednesday, Nov 1, 06 @ 12:52 am:
Cassandra has it right! Laura Bush should come out on national tv and bring up the number of women choices there are out there, and then she should mention JBT as an example. Oh, would that be great. America may not agree on Dubya, but America just luuuuuuvs Laura Bush.
Speaking of John Kerry, I got a bear hug from some guy dressed up as a ghoul earlier this evening, and all I could think was that gosh, he sure resembles John Kerry. lol
Get Laura Bush out there, JBT campaign!
- GetReal - Wednesday, Nov 1, 06 @ 9:09 am:
Hopefully John Kerry’s comments of Monday will ignite all Republican’s to vote Republican. Hopefully voters will realize it’s that Democratic snobish mentality that they’ll be voting in (I made no mistakes, therefore I offer no apology)and they’ll think better of it. I just want the news stations to KEEP RUNNING Kerry’s statement from now through election day. God bless John Kerry!!