Rep. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. is the clear favorite of Illinois Democrats among the party’s top five candidates to succeed Barack Obama as the state’s junior U.S. senator.

The Chicago congressman who has been openly campaigning for the job has the support of 36% of Illinois Democrats, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state taken Tuesday night.

Tammy Duckworth, director of Illinois’ Department of Veterans Affairs, is next with the backing of 29%, followed by state Attorney General Lisa Madigan with 17%.

Another congressman mentioned for the post, Rep. Jan Schakowksy, has eight percent (8%) support, with Emil Jones, president of the Illinois Senate, at two percent (2%). Just seven percent (7%) of Democrats are not sure which candidate they prefer.

Rod Blagojevich, Illinois’ Democratic governor and consistently one of the most unpopular state chief executives in the country, has said he will appoint Obama’s successor during the Christmas holidays. Obama has not endorsed anyone for the post for the seat which he resigned following his election as president.

Just 15% now say Blagojevich is doing a good or excellent job as governor, while 61% rate his performance as poor. Both numbers mark an improvement for Blagojevich from his numbers in the final Rasmussen Reports survey just before Election Day. to With just two years remaining in Obama’s Senate term, a key issue for Democrats is the electability of the fill-in senator in 2010.

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Madigan is the top vote-getter among Republicans (37%) and those unaffiliated with either party (23%). Nearly one-third in both these groups, however, are undecided, which is perhaps not surprising since all the action is on the Democratic side.

Among all Illinois residents, Madigan attracts 25% support, closely followed by Jackson with 23%. Duckworth is next with the backing of 21%. Schakowksy has seven percent (7%) support, with Jones at three percent (3%). Twenty-one percent (21%) are undecided.

Each of the contenders for the job offers political advantages and disadvantages for the embattled Blagojevich. Madigan is expected to challenge Blagojevich if he seeks reelection in 2010, so naming her to the Senate would remove a powerful potential rival and perhaps tone down one of his sharpest critics, Madigan’s father, who is speaker of the state House. One of the governor’s only remaining pockets of support is the African-American community which is insisting that a candidate such as Jackson or Jones succeed Obama, who was the only black U.S. senator.

Duckworth, who lost both her legs while serving in Iraq and was an unsuccessful candidate for the House this year, has the support of Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Illinois’ senior senator.

Madigan is the leader among men with 28% support, while Jackson is the favorite of a plurality of women (29%). Next for women is Madigan with 22% backing. Second for men is Duckworth (24%), who gets 19% support among women. Just 15% of men support Jackson.

Eighty-one percent (81%) of African-Americans favor Jackson, compared to 10% of whites. Madigan gets the highest level of white support (31%), followed by Duckworth with 22%. Statistically, Madigan has 0% support among blacks.

Duckworth is the top choice of married Illinois residents, closely followed by Madigan. Jackson and Madigan are the top picks for unmarrieds.

Jackson’s support is highest among low-income residents in the state, while those with higher-incomes prefer Madigan and Duckworth.

Illinois residents are even more supportive of Obama as president-elect than voters nationwide. Fifty-seven percent (57%) Strongly Approve of Obama’s performance since Election Day, while 12% Strongly Disapprove.

Nationally, in the Rasmussen reports daily Presidential Approval Index, 42% of voters now Strongly Approve of the way Obama is handling the role of president-elect while just 14% Strongly Disapprove.

Obama easily carried his home state on Election Day.

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