Eighty-four percent (84%) of Illinois voters say Governor Rod Blagojevich should resign, according to a Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state Wednesday night. Just nine percent (9%) disagree.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) say Blagojevich should end up in jail.

Despite the strong desire for the governor to resign, only 18% believe he is Very Likely to step down. Another 22% say a resignation is Somewhat Likely.

Just seven percent (7%) say the governor is doing a good or excellent job in office while 83% rate his performance as poor.

Blagojevich who was arrested Tuesday on federal corruption charges including an attempt to sell the U.S. Senate seat recently vacated by President-elect Barack Obama has consistently been one of the nation's most unpopular governors, if not the most unpopular, in previous Rasmussen Reports surveys.
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Fifty-nine percent (59%) say that their Governor is less ethical than most politicians. This is the first time in more than a decade of asking this question that a politician challenged on ethics has been seen as less ethical than his or her peers. Most recently, following the conviction of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, 67% of Alaska voters said Stevens was at least as ethical as his peers.

Only four percent (4%) see Blagojevich as more ethical than most politicians, but 31% say his ethical standards are the norm.

From another perspective, 39% of Illinois voters say the alleged Blagojevich practice of trading favors for campaign contributions is the way most politicians operate. Thirty-five percent (35%) disagree, while 26% are not sure.

Just 13% of Illinois voters say it’s Very Likely President-elect Barack Obama was involved in the Blagojevich scandal. Another 13% say it’s Somewhat Likely.

At the other extreme, 32% say Obama’s involvement is Not at all Likely. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say Not Very Likely.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Illinois voters approve of the way Obama has handled the role of president-elect so far. That figure includes 57% who Strongly Approve.

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