Cross-posted at StateHouseRock
Rasmussenpolled Illinois voters about the two offices tainted by the Blagojevich scandal - Obama's former Senate seat and the gubernatorial chair Blago left behind when he was impeached. Burris' troubles have made national headlines throughout '09. StateHouseRock is more focused on Gov. Pat Quinn's standing with the voters. Rasmussen delivers discouraging news.
As one of the nation's three (soon to be four when John Huntsman assumes the Beijing post) Accidental Governors (alongside NY's David Paterson, Kansas' Mark Parkinson, and Arizona's Jan Brewer), Quinn will be running for a seat he hasn't won previously. It remains an open question as to whether any of the three planning on running for a full term will enjoy the traditional advantages of incumbency. We do know Paterson has suffered some self-inflicted wounds and has abysmal approval numbers. I haven't seen any numbers for Brewer and Parkinson isn't planning on running.
Rasmussen tells us Quinn's campaign starts with lukewarm support from the state's voters.
Governor Pat Quinn, who replaced Blagojevich following his impeachment, does not receive much reelection support from voters. If Quinn decides to run for a full term as governor, only 13% say they would definitely vote for him while 23% say they would definitely vote against him. Most voters (63%) say their decisions would depend on who is running against him.
Yet while only 32% of voters think Quinn should run for governor in 2010, 56% say it is at least somewhat likely he would win if he did.
Quinn is viewed favorably by 55% of Illinois voters, and 57% of voters approve of the job he’s been doing as governor.
Considering Quinn's relatively healthy favorability ratings and job approval numbers, the tepid support for Quinn's re-election effort may simply be a manifestation of Illinoisians disgust with politicians in general, especially after the Blagojevich debacle. As Rasmussen reveals:
A majority of Illinois voters (52%) believe politicians in the state are more corrupt than most politicians in other states. Forty-one percent (41%) say they are about as corrupt as those in other states. Only three percent (3%) say they are less corrupt.