Quinn’s support in polls fades

For the first time since Gov. Pat Quinn took office, a new Rasmussen Reports poll of Illinoisans shows that more than half of all voters disapprove of his performance.

The poll of 500 likely Illinois voters taken Oct. 14 found that 53 percent disapproved of Quinn’s performance while 45 percent approved. That’s a 6-point switch from August, when Rasmussen had Quinn’s approval at 47 percent and his disapproval at 49 percent.

Back in June, Quinn’s approval was measured at 57 percent while his disapproval was 41. In April, Rasmussen had Quinn’s approval rating at 61 percent and his disapproval at just 37 percent. There’s an obvious trend.

Quinn’s disapproval rating has been climbing across all demographics this year, including among Democrats. Just 26 percent of Democrats disapproved of Quinn’s performance in June, but 38 percent of Democrats disapproved this month. Independent voters have been a lot more unforgiving. In April, 36 percent of independents disapproved of the governor’s job performance, but Rasmussen’s latest October survey has 59 percent of independents turning thumbs down.

The governor most assuredly was viewed extra positive by voters in the wake of Rod Blagojevich’s ouster and the fresh start given Illinois politics. Quinn has since unsuccessfully pushed for an unpopular tax increase and has been unable to make good on promises to enact strong campaign finance reforms and also couldn’t balance the budget. The constant crises are most definitely taking their toll, as they are with many other governors around the country.

The poll was taken near the start of the current TV advertising blitz being conducted by Quinn and his Democratic primary opponent, Comptroller Dan Hynes. Rasmussen rated Hynes’ favorables at 46 percent, with 28 percent saying they rated him unfavorably and 26 percent were unsure. Quinn’s favorables were 50 percent, with 41 percent saying they had an unfavorable view of him and 8 percent weren’t sure.

The Rasmussen poll also shows Illinois Democrats have a significant advantage in the “generic” gubernatorial ballot, with 43 percent saying they’ll vote for a non-specific Democrat and 37 percent saying they’ll cast their vote for a Republican candidate for governor. Rasmussen has the national generic congressional ballot at just the opposite, with 42 percent Republican and 37 percent Democratic, but those Illinois numbers may be less strong for Democrats than you might expect in a state that has produced such gigantic Democratic majorities in the past decade.