Bennett, Petts, & Normington for Progress Illinois. 10/15-16. Likely voters. MoE 4.9%:
Dan Seals (D): 41%
Mark Kirk (R): 47%
Undecided: 12%
In the middle of last week, the Washington D.C.-based polling firm Bennett, Petts & Normington conducted the above survey for Progress Illinois in the 10th Congressional District. The results are very similar to the Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll conducted two weeks earlier, which also found Democratic challenger Dan Seals down by six points (44-38%).
That both GOP Rep. Mark Kirk's support and job approval fell under 50 percent is good news for Seals. He remains within striking distance and a big boost in Democratic turnout on Election Day could make all the difference. As we've reported, both SEIU and the Illinois Coalition for Refugee Rights have been doing a great deal of work in the district to register and turn out Democratic-leaning voters. Meanwhile, there still appear to be a considerable number of undecided Democrats and Independents up for grabs.
Seals' recent barrage of television advertising seems to have boosted his name-ID in the district. While 29 percent of respondents didn't recognize him in the Daily Kos poll, that figure was 16 percent in our survey.
The poll found that over a third of respondents were unaware of the constitutional convention question on this year's ballot. Of those who were aware, 21 percent favored holding a Con-Con and 45 percent opposed the idea. Furthermore, we found that Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a 10 percent favorability rating in the district.
More detail below.
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