Rasmussen Illinois Senatorial Survey

• Alexi Giannoulias 42% [41%] (38%)
• Mark Kirk 39% [41%] (41%)
• Other 3% [4%] (4%)
• Not sure 15% [13%] (17%)

• Mark Kirk 42% [43%] (47%)
• Cheryle Jackson 39% [39%] (30%)
• Other 4% [4%] (6%)
• Not sure 15% [13%] (17%)

• Mark Kirk 42% [43%]
• David Hoffman 38% [33%]
• Other 3% [8%]
• Not sure 17% [16%]

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

• Mark Kirk 50% / 32% {+18%}
• David Hoffman 40% / 27% {+13%}
• Alexi Giannoulias 48% / 36% {+12%}
• Cheryle Jackson 38% / 34% {+4%}

How would you rate the job Barack Obama has been doing as President?

• Strongly approve 40% [41%] (37%)
• Somewhat approve 18% [15%] (19%)
• Somewhat disapprove 9% [11%] (8%)
• Strongly disapprove 33% [33%] (34%)

How would you rate the job Pat Quinn has been doing as Governor?

• Strongly approve 8%
• Somewhat approve 43%
• Somewhat disapprove 25%
• Strongly disapprove 22%

A proposal has been made to house some Guantanamo prison inmates in Illinois at the Thomson correctional facility. Do you favor or oppose housing Guantanamo prisoners at the Thomson correctional facility in Illinois?

• Favor 39%
• Oppose 51%

Generally speaking, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and the congressional Democrats?

• Strongly favor 27%
• Somewhat favor 23%
• Somewhat oppose 8%
• Strongly oppose 38%

Is the health care reform legislation being considered by Congress likely to increase the deficit, reduce the deficit, or have no impact on the deficit?

• Increase the deficit 57%
• Reduce the deficit 10%
• No impact on the deficit 22%

To cover the cost of health care reform, how likely is it that taxes will have to be raised on the middle class?

• Very likely 53%
• Somewhat likely 18%
• Not very likely 19%
• Not at all likely 4%

Would you favor or oppose the creation of a government-sponsored non-profit health insurance option that people could choose instead of a private health insurance plan?

• Favor 43%
• Oppose 39%

Suppose that the creation of a government-sponsored non-profit health insurance option encouraged companies to drop private health insurance coverage for their workers. Workers would then be covered by the government option. Would you favor or oppose the creation of a government-sponsored non-profit health insurance option if it encouraged companies to drop private health insurance coverage for their workers?

• Favor 26%
• Oppose 56%

Overall, how would you rate President Obama’s handling of the situation in Afghanistan?

• Excellent 16%
• Good 30%
• Fair 30%
• Poor 23%

Do you favor or oppose the President’s proposal to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan?

• Favor 55%
• Oppose 33%

Do you favor or oppose the President’s commitment to a timetable that would begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in 18 months?

• Favor 49%
• Oppose 38%

Overall, do you favor or oppose President Obama’s new plan for the war in Afghanistan?

• Favor 45%
• Oppose 33%

Survey of 500 likely voters was conducted December 9. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points. Results from the poll conducted October 14 are in square brackets. Results from the poll conducted August 11 are in parentheses.