* Fox Chicago had We Ask America do an automated poll of President Obama’s job approval rating here in Illinois. He’s still a net positive, but just barely. And the president’s numbers in Downstate and suburban areas have got to be giving legislative and congressional Democrats a severe case of heartburn…

Do you approve of the job President Obama is doing?

* Approve: 49.81%
* Disapprove: 46.23%
* Neutral: 3.96%

Downstate voters rate Obama job performance:

* Approve: 39%
* Disapprove: 57%

Suburban (”collar”) county voters rate Obama job performance:

* Approve: 43%
* Disapprove: 55%

Chicago voters rate Obama job performance:

* Approve: 78%
* Disapprove: 18%

Suburban Cook County voters rate Obama job performance:

* Approve: 53%
* Disapprove: 42%

African-American voters in Illinois rate Obama job performance:

* Approve: 87%
* Disapprove: 11%

Hispanic:

* Approve: 59%
* Disapprove: 34%

White:

* Approve: 42%
* Disapprove: 53%

Male voters in Illinois:

* Approve: 45%
* Disapprove: 52%

Female voters in Illinois:

* Approve: 55%
* Disapprove: 40%

Emphasis added.

Discuss.

…Adding… As a comparison, Obama’s job rating in the 2010 exit polling here was 54 percent approve, 46 percent disapprove. Fewer Democrat tend to vote in off-year elections, so his total approval rating would probably be higher, meaning he’s slipped even more.

…Adding More… The poll also matched up the president with a few rivals. He’s beating them all quite handily. And while he’s over 50 percent in all the contests, his highest point is just 52.85 percent against Herman Cain. Nobody is saying that Obama will lose Illinois. But he should be doing much better than that, and Downstate and suburban down-ticket Democrats need him to do far better than he is.