Progress Illinois

A new Rasmussen poll conducted in Illinois -- and highlighted by Capitol Fax late yesterday -- found that 62 percent of respondents want Sen. Roland Burris to resign immediately rather than fill out his current term. Only four percent would definitely vote for him in 2010 and 39 percent say it would depend on who he is running against.  Unfortunately, the poll missed the more direct and pertinent question: Should Burris run for reelection?  My guess is that 80-90 percent would have answered no.

In a survey conducted in early February -- a couple weeks after Burris' swearing-in -- the Tribune asked respondents whether Burris should run for reelection.  The results: 37 percent yes, 33 percent nay, and 29 percent didn't know. That poll included the following favorable/unfavorables:

Only 34 percent of Illinois voters had a favorable impression of Burris, compared with 18 percent who viewed him unfavorably. A total of 43 percent of voters said they had no opinion of the new senator.

The Rasmussen poll suggests that, in the months since the Tribune survey, many more Illinoisans have formed an opinion of Burris.  And that doesn't appear to be a good news for him:

Only 19% have a favorable opinion of Burris. Seventy-three percent (73%) view him unfavorably, including 44% whose view is Very Unfavorable. [8% had no opinion.]

Seventy-three percent.  That's just devastating.  I honestly don't know how his political advisers can look at those numbers and decide to plow forward into the 2010 primary.

Meanwhile, Gov. Quinn has to feel pretty good about Rasmussen's findings:

Sixty-one percent (61%) approve of former Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn’s job performance as Blagojevich’s replacement. Thirty-seven percent (37%) disapprove. 

These numbers will hopefully show Illinois lawmakers that you can talk about raising and restructuring Illinois' unfair income tax and not immediately be cast into the gutter of public opinion.