* A new poll commissioned by the Illinois Republican Party finds strong support for a special election…
Two-thirds (66%) of the electorate favors the state legislature passing a new law requiring a special election to fill Barack Obama’s unexpired term as US Senator rather than letting the Governor pick the next US Senator. Only 26% oppose a special election.
This large majority support for a special election is strongest among Republicans (74%) but is also strong among Democrats (64%) and Independents (65%). In the collar counties and downstate, the support for a special election is huge (71% and 70% respectively).
* And this is what I’ve been talking about when I say that anyone with close or even not-so-close ties to Blagojevich is severely tainted in voters’ minds…
70% of voters would be less likely to vote for a candidate for office in Illinois who supported or endorsed Rod Blagojevich’s reelection for Governor in 2006 even though he was already under investigation for 3-years.
The “less likely to vote” result is strongest among Republicans (82%) but is also strong among Democrats (66%), Independents (66%), and voters in Cook County (65%), City of Chicago (65%) and the collar counties (76%). Clearly, Democrats who are tied to Blagojevich are vulnerable.
* More…
An overwhelming majority (79%) believes things in Illinois are headed off on the wrong track. Only 14% thinks things are going in the right direction. This very strong negative sentiment cuts across party lines.
Regardless of party affiliation, most Illinois voters (88%) have an unfavorable opinion of Rod Blagojevich. Only 8% has a favorable opinion of him.
* Methodology…
This Illinois statewide survey of 600 likely voters was conducted on December 15, 2008 by McLaughlin & Associates. All interviews were conducted by professional interviewers via telephone.
* Click the pic for a better look at the internals…
* We also have some info on a couple of potential GOP gubernatorial candidates. From Crain’s…
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce annouced that it has granted a leave of absence to its president, Doug Whitley, so he can “pursue personal goals, perhaps including a future political career.” The leave takes effect on Jan. 1 and comes after months in which Mr. Whitley was said to be testing the gubernatorial waters.
* Also from Crain’s…
U.S. Housing Secretary Steven Preston, who’s mulling a run for governor of Illinois in 2010, effectively makes his debut speech as a candidate for the GOP nomination Tuesday.
In the wake of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s arrest and criminal charges last week, Mr. Preston revised a long-scheduled speech on housing issues in Chicago to focus on “leadership, accountability and transparency in government.” […]
“I’ve chatted with a couple of people about the needs of the state,” said Mr. Preston, a native of Janesville, Wis., who got his degree in political science at Northwestern University and considered a career in public service before getting into banking and moving up the corporate ladder. “Anyone who runs has to do a lot of soul-searching.”
*** UPDATE *** Mayor Daley reacts…
Republicans have accused Democrats of opposing a special election because they’re afraid an anti-Blagojevich backlash could pave the way for a GOP candidate to take Barack Obama’s seat in the U.S. Senate.
But, Daley denied the motive is politics.
“You cannot, because an individual does something wrong, change everything dealing with that office. You only have less than two years [until the next election]. It’s about thirty-to-fifty million dollars. That’s a lot of money,” Daley said.
“Whoever becomes the governor — if the lieutenant governor comes in — then, he has the responsibility [to appoint the next senator]. That’s the responsibility of the governor. If [Gov. David] Paterson can do it in New York, why cannot they do it here?”