In his column yesterday in the Southtown Star, Springfield insider Rich Miller cited a poll showing that the Illinois Republican Party's efforts to educate Illinoisans about Democrat power-broker Mike Madigan has been effective.
Miller used a poll provided him by a Republican (??) from a north suburban district that leans GOP. It found that Madigan has a positive rating of just 16 percent, and a negative rating of 44 percent, with only 3 percent holding a strongly positive view of his image and 31 percent holding a strongly negative view.
Miller attempts to discredit the poll by writing that 40 percent had never heard of Madigan or had no opinion. However, it is clear that the ILGOP's campaign, which included outreach to mainstream media such as the Chicago Tribune, has had an effect.
The poll also showed that Madigan's worst rating came from people 65 and older, with 63 percent of them having a negative opinion of him, and 53 percent having a strongly negative opinion. In fact, only 8 percent of the seniors polled had a positive view of Mike Madigan.
Miller also reports that in the age group 55-64, 58 percent had a negative view of Madigan, while in the 45-54 age group 42 percent had a negative view, and in the 18-44 age group 28 percent had a negative opinion of the of the liberal House Speaker.
Finally, among independents in this district, 46 percent had a negative view of Madigan, with 31 percent having a strongly negative view.
The conclusion: The ILGOP's education campaign is having an impact, and Mike Madigan is feeling it.
