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Jackson Still Favored by Voters in Latest 2nd District Poll

An FBI investigation and the mental health drama surrounding U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. have not threatened his re-election to Congress, according to a poll released today.

By Dennis Robaugh and Christopher Paicely
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October 22, 2012

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U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. U.S. House of Representatives

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Jesse Jackson Jr. shows a commanding lead over his two challengers, with 58 percent of likely voters saying they would send the beleaguered congressman back to the U.S. House for two more years, according to a new We Ask America poll.

Republican Brian Woodworth would be the choice of 27 percent of voters, and independent challenger Marcus Lewis is favored by 15 percent.

Woodworth said he will not read too much into the poll, but took an optimistic view of the results.

"A poll is a just poll and not an indicator of success or loss," Woodworth said. "I’m actually encouraged because Republicans typically don’t make up a third of the district. So that means maybe some Democrats have swung over. We’ll see what happens. I’m going to stay encouraged considering when I first entered the race some people were saying I would only get 15 percent.”

Lewis was even more confident, despite having some of the lowest numbers in the poll. The independent candidate said he expects to gain a significant number of voters by Election Day.

"The fat lady has not sang yet," Lewis said. "Brian, he’s topped out about as far as he’s going to go. There just aren’t enough Republican voters for Brian to have a shot. But we need the shoe to drop. I just cannot believe people will vote for a crook. I believe I can still win this."

The 2nd District has been a lock for Democrats, and in the 2010 general election, Jackson coasted to easy victory with 80 percent of the vote. The latest poll suggests the 17-year congressman's support among voters, while strong, has waned a bit this year in the face of his various problems, which include:

depression, a bipolar disorder diagnosis and hospitalization at the Mayo Clinic;
an FBI investigation of Jackson's possible use of campaign funds to decorate his Washington, D.C., home;
continuing questions about the congressman's role in Gov. Rod Blagojevich's effort to sell or trade the state's U.S. Senate seat in 2008, accompanied by a House ethics probe;
revelations about his marital infidelity.

We Ask America's automated poll of 819 voters in the 2nd Congressional District, with a margin of error of ±3.5 percent, was conducted Sunday evening, Oct. 21.

A slim majority, 55 percent, say they are happy with the field of candidates when asked "Do you agree or disagree with this statement: I am happy with the candidates on the ballot, I do not wish someone else was running instead."

Jackson was challenged in the Democratic primary by former congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, but Jackson won with more than two-thirds of the vote.

Jackson polls strongly among women and African Americans, but his support among men, whites and Hispanics is much lower, according to the poll.

65 percent of all women favor Jackson, but only 40 percent of men do; 35 percent of the men chose Woodworth and 16 percent select Lewis.
81 percent of all African Americans would cast their vote for Jackson
among likely white voters, 54 percent opt for Woodworth and 14 percent for Lewis; only 32 percent of whites would send Jackson back to Congress.
the Hispanic vote favors Jackson by 40 percent.

Of those polled, 62 percent identified themselves as Democrats, 18 percent said they were Republicans and 11 percent said they were independent voters.

Among independent voters, 62 percent opposed Jackson, with 41 percent picking Woodworth and 21 percent Lewis; 38 percent of independents selected Jackson.

2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT POLL RESULTS

Choice for Congress

	Jesse Jackson Jr. (D)	Brian Woodworth (R)	Marcus Lewis (I)
ALL VOTERS	58%	27%	15%
WOMEN ONLY	65%	21%	13%
MEN ONLY	49%	35%	16%
AFRICAN AM.ONLY	81%	8%	11%
ASIANS ONLY	71%	21%	8%
HISPANIC ONLY	40%	33%	27%
WHITE ONLY	32%	54%	14%

Do you AGREE or DISAGREE with this statement: “I am happy with the congressional candidates on the ballot. I do not wish someone else was running instead.”

	AGREE	DISAGREE
ALL VOTERS	55%	45%
WOMEN ONLY	59%	41%
MEN ONLY	50%	50%
AFRICAN AM.ONLY	69%	31%
ASIANS ONLY	57%	43%
HISPANIC ONLY	50%	50%
WHITE ONLY	43%	57%

Poll type: Automated; Date: October 21, 2012
Participants: 819 Likely Voters - Margin of Error: ± 3.5%

Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.

Tony Filippelli, AirTek Heating and Air inc.

1:10 pm on Monday, October 22, 2012

Well thats shocking, Chicagoans, elected stroger while he was in a coma, so his son could take over. just further proof, that as long as you have a pulse and a "D" after your name. chicagoans will vote for you.

Jackson Still Favored by Voters in Latest 2nd District Poll

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