Posted on 01/28/2010 9:05:33 PM PST by Steelers6
Election 2010: Illinois Republican Primary for Senate Illinois GOP Senate Primary: Kirk 53%, Hughes 18% Thursday, January 28, 2010
Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is well ahead of his closest challenger in the race for the Republican Senate nomination in Illinois. GOP voters will pick their candidate on Tuesday.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely Republican Primary voters in the state finds Kirk leading attorney Patrick Hughes 53% to 18%. Twelve percent (12%) prefer some other candidate, and 18% are still undecided.
Conservatives have been critical of Kirk for some of his positions in the House, and Hughes, chairman of a group called Sensible Taxpayers Opposed to Increased Taxes, is challenging him from the political right. But 51% of conservative Republicans who plan to vote on Tuesday support Kirk versus 20% who are for Hughes.
In the state’s Democratic primary, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias leads his two chief challengers for the party's Senate nomination in the vote also slated for Tuesday.
Kirk should expect some stiff competition in the general election if Giannoulias wins on Tuesday. Polling in December found Giannoulias ahead of Kirk 42% to 39%. In October, the two men were tied at 41% each. In mid-August, Kirk held a 41% to 38% lead over Giannoulias. Following last week's upset GOP win in the Massachusetts special Senate election, however, Republicans have been eying Illinois as another Democratic-leaning state where they might make a pick-up, given widespread voter unhappiness with the national health care plan and other national Democratic initiatives.
This year’s election will fill the seat currently held by Roland Burris, appointed by former Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill out the remainder of President Obama’s Senate term. Burris is not running for a full-term.
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Republican voters in Illinois have a favorable opinion of Kirk, while just 22% view him unfavorably. One-in-five voters (20%) have no opinion of the congressman.
The plurality of Illinois GOP voters (45%) still has no opinion of Hughes. His favorables total 34%, his unfavorables 21%.
Democratic Senate incumbents who currently trail their challengers include Harry Reid in Nevada, Michael Bennet in Colorado, Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas and Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania. Barbara Boxer from California, Evan Bayh of Indiana and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin find themselves in more competitive races than usual.
Republicans lead open-seat Senate races in Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Ohio. Democrats lead in Connecticut. A commentary by political analyst Larry Sabato, suggests that if the election were held today, “the (59-seat) Democratic majority in the Senate would be reduced to just 52 seats.”
In addition to picking Senate nominees, Illinois voters in both parties will choose their governor candidates for the fall on Tuesday. Former state Republican Chairman Andy McKenna attracts 20% of the vote, enough to hold a modest lead over a large field of hopefuls, in the race to become the GOP nominee for governor of Illinois.
State Comptroller Dan Hynes has edged ahead of current Governor Pat Quinn in the race to become Illinois' Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
Tell everyone you know in Illinois don't vote for Mark Kirk, vote for Pat Hughes for Senate.
The Conservative Republican vote is the most troubling for Conservatives to be 51% support of Mark Kirk, 20% for Hughes and probably 15% for the other conservatives in the race is bad. But many of them probably think Kirk is the only candidate and will be surprised when they see 6 candidates on the ballot on Tuesday.
Mark Kirk has not shown up for a single debate, there were at least 5 Republican US Senate debates held.
Not sure I would either if I had that kind of lead. Hughes apparently has not had enough money to draw the contrast, which is disappointing.
If Sarah Palin had endorsed him, freepers would be all over it.
I think too many people see it as a lost cause to dedicate a lot of time to it.
The question is whether freepers will accept Kirk like they accepted Brown, understanding that a moderate squishy republican is better than a democrat, or deciding that another squishy moderate is too high a price to pay.
It looks like it will be snowing in Chicago on Election Day. Let’s hope for a blizzard. . . and clear skies for the rest of the state.
Don’t know how that will effect Adam Andrzjewski for Governor. He needs the Poles to turn out at the Polls. He will do well downstate with Tea Party Supports. Southern Illinois is supposed to get snow tonight I believe.
Don’t know how that will effect Adam Andrzjewski for Governor. He needs the Poles to turn out at the Polls. He will do well downstate with Tea Party Supports. Southern Illinois is supposed to get snow tonight I believe.
Don’t know how that will effect Adam Andrzjewski for Governor. He needs the Poles to turn out at the Polls. He will do well downstate with Tea Party Supports. Southern Illinois is supposed to get snow tonight I believe.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
Looks like there are three conservative/reform candidates with around 10% of the vote, yet retread Andy McKenna, Obama fan Kirk Dillard, and the shell of Jim Ryan are soaking up the oxygen. If conservatives had united behind state senator Bill Brady, for example, they could have taken the nomination and had a shot at the governship.
I suppose there's still a shot one of the good guys pulls it out, but the polling shows McKenna on top.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
Why would a conservative vote for this Rino? Do they feel he’s the only chance to win the seat?
Sen. Bill Brady will do good in downstate Illinois. He has alot of support where I live.
In a word, no.
Brown was the decisive vote to stop that “health” bill.
Kirk would just be another Liberal. I couldn’t give a damn about helping him out.
For the record had Brown not been the decisive vote you wouldn’t have seen conservative energy rally around him either. There was no “understanding” ever reached ther then we needed one vote to hold the line until November when we could elect a few CONSEVATIVE’s instead.
Okay, I’ll admit there were political considerations as well. Winning Teddy’s seat has re-inforced how vulnerable they are, caused some retirements, driven poll numbers down and made the environment even a little better to elect a conservative in some areas.
All in all he served his purpose.
My understanding is that cnservative’s are split over whom to endorse. Sort of like with McCain in the primaries in ‘08. Plus Kirk has name recognition. Sad but true people vote for the name they know even when they don’t know their positions.
I’ve seen some conservatives start to rally around this race but too little and too late. They should have gotten their acts together 2 months ago not less then a week before the polls.
That’s the thing, all 6 still have a shot at winning this deal because noone has taken control of the race. 20% is the top and 8% is the bottom.
The weather could be a huge factor, snow is in the forecast in many parts of the state. The last 6 primary elections the Republicans have had turnout between 660,000 to 920,000.
So if a million Republicans vote, 250,000 could win it. It will be interesting to see the turnout in the Polish sections of Chicago. If it’s high and their pulling Republican ballots Adam could pull it out. If downstate turnout is strong Bill Brady could win it.
Both candidates are good . . . but I feel with the dire straignts that Illinois is in Sen. Brady would be the man to get the job done. Adam would need on the job training.
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