Tribune [IL] Senate Poll Has Oberweis on top of GOP Field, 3-Way Tie Among Dems

The Leader ^ | January 14, 2004 | The Leader-Chicago Bureau

[JohnnyZ]

CHICAGO -- According to a WGN/Chicago Tribune poll on the United States Senate race to replace retiring Senator Peter Fitzgerald released tonight, Jim Oberweis of Aurora has jumped ahead of Jack Ryan to take the lead on the GOP side of the ledger with 16% support from those surveyed.

On the Democrat side there is a three-way tie between State Senator Barak Obama (D-Chicago), Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and State Comptroller Dan Hynes.

The poll, taken last week, shows the majority of Republican voters as being undecided -- 57%. After Oberweis, investor turned teacher Jack Ryan is at 12%, Schwarz Paper Company President Andy McKenna and State Senator Steve Rauschenberger (R-Elgin) are both at 5%, and retired Air Force General John Borling came in at 2%.

On the Democrat side, more voters know who they will be supporting for their party's nomination in the March 2004 primary just 61 days away -- only 38% are undecided.

After the three way tie at 14% for Obama, Pappas and Hynes, businessman Blair Hull came in at 10% and Gery Chico came in at 6%.

The margin of error for the polling was 4.5%.

More details will be available in the Thursday edition of the Chicago Tribune

[JohnnyZ]

Looks like Jack Ryan has some work to do. His name ID dropped between the October poll and this one. Same with Oberweis. Another instance of the public not giving a darn until the few weeks before the primary.

Jack has good grassroots support, though, and has been winning over county organizations.

[JohnnyZ]

Chicago Tribune article can be found here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0401150030jan15,1,3563942.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Full Poll Results:

Republicans
Undecided 57%
Oberweis 16%
Ryan 12%
McKenna 5%
Rauschenberger 5%
Borling 2%

Democrats
Undecided 38%
Obama 14%
Pappas 14%
Hynes 14%
Hull 10%
Chico 6%

[JohnnyZ]

Look, a poll.