JUNE 19
THE MADIGAN FACTOR
The biggest question about Attorney General Lisa Madigan is whether she'll challenge fellow Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn in the March 18, 2014, primary election. But the other big question is how her candidacy -- and/or her election -- would affect the political future of her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan.
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A new poll by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research indicates the elder Madigan's plans may be a big factor in voters' decisions should Lisa Madigan run for governor.
From the poll:
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"Lisa Madigan is personally popular (54% favorable / 26% unfavorable), and she leads Dan Rutherford among general-election voters in a head-to-head race for Governor (Madigan 50% / Rutherford 34%), whom we used as a placeholder candidate. Rutherford is currently only known to one-third (37%) of voters. Her lead also holds up after we give voters positive information about both candidates (Madigan 49% / Rutherford 38%).
"However, Madigan faces a tough battle if she runs for Governor and her father remains Speaker of the House. In a vote between Lisa Madigan and Rutherford where her father does not resign his office, Lisa is in a dead heat with Rutherford (Madigan 41% / Rutherford 41%)."
More significant is the 53 percent of respondents who say they have a "serious concern" with members of the Madigan family controlling both the executive and legislative branches of state government. A further 17 percent say they have "somewhat of a concern" with such a power structure. That means 70 percent of those polled have a problem with it.
It also means this is something any opponent's campaign will hammer home in advertising.
Pollster John Anzalone tells the Chicago Sun-Times: “We say right out from the beginning that she’s a popular official. Then we gave very basic information that the two are related. It moved independents 27 points. We weren’t in there beating the hell out of her, we were aware that we would have to make sure there wasn’t a lot of bias up front.”
After a hearing Tuesday on a pension bill at the Capitol, Madigan brushed off questions by a Sun-Times reporter about his daughter's potential candidacy for governor and his plans should she be elected.
