Blagojevich Early Report Card Mixed, According to Illinois Wesleyan Poll

Feb. 28, 2003

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. —Although nearly 60 percent of Illinois registered voters say that they approve of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s currently handling of his job as governor, a statewide poll conducted by the Survey Research Center of Illinois Wesleyan University’s political science department found an unusually high number of respondents undecided.

The poll found that 58 percent approve of Blagojevich’s job, seven percent disapprove, and 35 percent either did not respond or had no opinion.

"You expect a honeymoon period," said Tari Renner, chair of Illinois Wesleyan’s Department of Political Science. "However, I might have expected both his negatives and positives to be a little higher. A significant number of voters either didn’t have an opinion or are taking a wait-and-see attitude. That seems a bit higher than I might have expected."

Meanwhile, respondents favored cutting services over raising taxes in order to tackle the state’s budget problems. Asked which they would favor most, raising taxes or cutting state services, 44 percent chose a cut in services, 27 percent said taxes should be raised, while 11 percent said both strategies should be implemented if possible.

Support for U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald slipped from a poll taken in October. Asked whether or not Fitzgerald should be re-elected in 2004, 27 percent said they had should while 38 percent said someone else should be given a chance and 34 percent responded with another answer or were uncertain. In comparison, 33 percent had favored Fitzgerald’s re-election when the question was asked prior to the November elections.

The poll of registered Illinois voters, stratified by county, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percent.

To discuss results of the poll with Renner, contact Jeffery G. Hanna or Ann Aubry at 309/556-3181.