Paul Schimpf at a recent press conference with GOP House Leader Jim Durkin
WATERLOO - Paul Schimpf, GOP candidate for attorney general, released polling results to the Sun-Times last Friday. According to Schimpf, the results indicate that the race between him and Democrat Attorney General Lisa Madigan may be closer than many think.
Schimpf's poll of 800 likely voters, included "push poll" questions, which are subtley designed to influence the poll-takers' responses.
The sampling, which was 42% Democrat, 33% Independent and 25% Republican, found that 46% intended to vote for Lisa Madigan, while 37% would vote for Schimpf. Seventeen percent (17%) didn't know.
In the same poll, 40% said they intend to vote for Republican Bruce Rauner, 34% for incumbent Governor Pat Quinn, and 26% didn't know.
Schimpf's poll also asked questions about concealed carry, abortion, and gay rights. Overall the poll indicated 2014 Illinois voters are not concerned about social issues.
The poll showed the state divided on gun rights - 44% said a candidate opposing concealed carry would make them more likely to support the candidate while 43% said a candidate opposition to concealed carry would make them less likely to support the candidate.
On the topic of abortion, 51% of the polled said they were more likely to support a strongly pro-choice candidate and 29% said they would be less likely to vote for a strongly pro-choice candidate.
Those polled indicated being strongly pro-life would negatively affect their likelihood to vote for a candidate - 29% said it would make them more likely to support a candidate if he or she was strongly pro-life, while 35% said they would be less likely to support the candidate if he or she was strongly pro-life. 33% said the position on life didn't matter at all.
And on the topic of gay marriage, 20% was more likely to vote for a candidate that opposed gay marriage while 25% were less likely to support him or her. 55% said the candidate's position on gay marriage didn't matter.
Schimpf's poll showed voters overwhelmingly want veterans to be defended and get proper hospital care. It also showed that voters point to political corruption and failed political leadership as the two top reasons for the state's debt. Next highest reason was public pensions.
Although Schimpf's poll indicates him seven points behind the incumbent Lisa Madigan, he's been able to raise less than $10,000 while Madigan sits on an untapped war chest of over $4 million.
The poll can be found HERE
