Illinois Senate: Kirk (R), Giannoulias (D) Still Running Close

Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is now barely ahead of Democrat Alexi Giannoulias in Illinois’ up-and-down race for the U.S. Senate.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Kirk picking up 44% of the vote, while Giannoulias, the current state treasurer, draws 40% support. Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones earns the vote from four percent (4%) of voters, and eight percent (8%) prefer some other candidate. Five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

The race is still a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Senate Balance of Power rankings. The survey was taken the night before their second head-to-head debate. 

The race was a virtual tie last week, when Giannoulias picked up 44% of the vote to Kirk's 43%. Highlighting the closeness of this contest is the fact that Kirk and Giannoulias have now run within four points or less of each other in 10 surveys since early June. Jones' support has held steady at four percent (4%) for the last three surveys.
 
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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Illinois was conducted on October 18, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/-4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional data from this survey will be released at rasmussenreports.com/Illinois.  Full demographic data is available to Platinum Members only.

Republican State Senator Bill Brady now leads Democratic Governor Pat Quinn by just six points in Illinois’ crowded gubernatorial contest.

Which candidate do Illinois voters think is more extreme? Which candidate has more supporters who've already made up their minds how they will vote on Election Day? Become a Platinum member to find out.