* The latest from Public Policy Polling…

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Dick
Durbin’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 51%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%

Q2 Generally speaking, in 2014, if the Democratic
candidate for Senate was Dick Durbin, would
you vote for him or his Republican opponent?
Dick Durbin …………………………………………….. 52%
Republican opponent ……………………………….. 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

* From the pollster…

Durbin is in such good shape because 20% of Republicans support his work in the Senate, and 13% of them say they will probably vote for him in two years. Independents are split right down the middle on both fronts, including 42-42 on the re-elect.

Faced with actual opponents, Durbin does even better, though slightly more Republicans and independents are undecided than Democrats. Outgoing Rep. Bob Dold comes closest to matching the ideal Republican’s standing, with a 21-point deficit (54-33). Failed 2010 Tea Party contender Patrick Hughes is down 22 (53-31), and retiring Rep. Joe Walsh lags by 25 (54-29).

In all three actual head-to-heads, Durbin maintains the same 13% of the GOP’s support, and outdoes his 82% level with his own party by two or three points. The main difference is with independents. He jumps up two to five points with them for leads of nine points over Dold and Hughes and 18 over Walsh.

Granted, Hughes is a complete unknown—88% have no opinion of him, so he is truly generic. Still only 46% have an opinion on Walsh (14% favorable and 32% unfavorable), and 49% on Dold (21-28). So they stand more to gain than Durbin does. But when name recognition is equalized at this point, Durbin’s advantage actually increases to leads of 25 to 35 points, so combined with his strength and the Republicans’ relative unpopularity, he is unlikely to get much if any more vulnerable.

Barring unforeseen circumstances and/or a solid candidate, agreed.

* More results…

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bob Dold?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 21%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 28%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 52%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Patrick Hughes?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 4%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 8%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 88%

Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Joe Walsh?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 14%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 55%

Q6 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were
Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Bob
Dold, who would you vote for?
Dick Durbin …………………………………………….. 54%
Bob Dold………………………………………………… 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q7 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were
Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Patrick
Hughes, who would you vote for?
Dick Durbin …………………………………………….. 53%
Patrick Hughes ……………………………………….. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q8 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were
Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Joe
Walsh, who would you vote for?
Dick Durbin …………………………………………….. 54%
Joe Walsh………………………………………………. 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

* Methodology…

PPP surveyed 500 Illinois voters from November 26th to 28th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.4%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Crosstabs are here.