Pollster pushes back against Oberweis
Thursday, Oct 24, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* State Sen. Jim Oberweis has been touting the results of a recent poll to bolster his contention that he could defeat Sen. Dick Durbin…
But the pollster whose company generated those numbers said it is not a typical head-to-head poll, so the numbers might not reflect, even at this stage, how a race would shape up […]
“That poll was designed to see which of two candidates did better against Durbin,” Gregg Durham, CEO of the polling firm, said Wednesday. “It wasn’t designed to say if he ran against Durbin, how well he would do.”
The Illinois Review website reported some of the poll numbers Sept. 25. The comparisons were how Oberweis and former U.S. Rep. JOE WALSH, R-McHenry, would each do against Durbin.
But Durham said that what he called the “curiosity poll” was informational, and respondents were told in recorded calls that the poll was testing two candidates against Durbin.
“Right there, it changes the parameters of the poll,” Durham said. “It then becomes, for lack of a better term, a beauty contest as opposed to a real head-to-head.
“Clearly, Senator Oberweis did slightly better than former Congressman Joe Walsh,” Durham added. “But in our opinion, he would have a very steep hill to climb to find success” against Durbin next year.
* Meanwhile…
Associated Press is reporting that at the Capitol Wednesday, State Senator Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) told a rally of traditional marriage supporters that he has launched an effort to run for U.S. Senate. However, Oberweis told Illinois Review that’s not exactly what he said or meant.
“I said that if we get enough petitions, I will run,” Oberweis told Illinois Review in an email response. He did not elaborate any further on whether he’s actively organized a petition drive, nor did he say when he’d make a formal announcement. Candidate petitions can be submitted to the Illinois State Board of Elections beginning November 19th.
He’s leaving the door open just a tiny crack, perhaps because the behind the scenes effort to keep him out of the race is gathering steam.
