BLOOMINGTON - GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady released an internal poll that shows he is only seven points behind Chicago investor Bruce Rauner. In contrast, We Ask America - a polling group led by Illinois Manufacturers' Association - shows Bruce Rauner with a signifcant lead, and State Senator Kirk Dillard in second place.
“We believe that support for Mr. Rauner is declining as more Illinois voters become aware of his ties to Democrats, his business dealings and his positions on issues important to them,” Brady said. “I am the one reliable Republican who can win and who can beat Pat Quinn in November.”
Brady's polling shows Rauner at 32 percent, Brady at 24 percent, Senator Kirk Dillard at 13 percent, Treasurer Dan Rutherford at 3 percent, with 28 percent undecided. Among the most likely voters, Rauner leads Brady by 4 points, 34 to 30, with Senator Dillard at 11 percent, Brady's campaign says.
According to Brady, the results of the poll show that a majority of voters are less likely to vote for Mr. Rauner because of his ties to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his business connections to Stuart Levine. Likewise, 62 percent are less likely to vote for Senator Kirk Dillard because of his appearance in television commercial for Barack Obama.
The polling also shows that Brady’s favorable/unfavorable ratings of 44/25 percent top all the other GOP candidates in the primary.
The live-interview poll of 831 voters planning to vote in the March 18 primary was conducted February 18 and 19 by McKeon & Associates, which has polled for political campaigns and others for more than 40 years.
The full results can be found HERE
