Wednesday, February 3, 2010

New Poll Shows Mark Kirk Beating Alexi Giannoulias 47-35

From the Kirk for Senate Campaign:

Kirk 47%, Giannoulias 35%

Kirk campaign releases new poll showing double-digit lead over “deeply flawed” Democratic nominee in Illinois Senate race

Broadway Bank Woes, Bright Start Troubles Sink Alexi Giannoulias


Northbrook, IL – Just hours after winning the Republican nomination in a landslide election, five-term Congressman and Navy veteran Mark Kirk today released a new survey showing his campaign out to an early double-digit lead over Democratic nominee Alexi Giannoulias, 47% to 35%.

The survey of 885 Illinois voters, conducted by Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies between February 1-2, 2010 with a 3.3% margin of error, showed Kirk holding a net positive favorable/unfavorable rating of +5% while Giannoulias held a net negative favorable/unfavorable rating -15%.

“Alexi Giannoulias is a damaged candidate plagued by his mismanagement of family education savings, criminal ties and questions surrounding his family’s failing Broadway Bank,” Kirk spokesman Eric Elk said. “David Hoffman, an honorable corruption fighter, was right to question Alexi’s character and it’s clear that the voters of Illinois question it as well.”

Before his election as State Treasurer, Giannoulias served as Vice President and Chief Loan Officer of his family’s Broadway Bank. On July 27, 2009, the Chicago Tribune reported: “Before his election, Giannoulias faced scrutiny over his family bank's loans to convicted felons with alleged mob ties. Giannoulias oversaw the loans at the bank.”

The Sun-Times reported that Giannoulias loaned $12 million to a convicted bookmaker and pimp and loaned another $15 million to a convicted mob money launderer. More recently, Chicago and national media reported that the FDIC ordered the Giannoulias family to raise millions in capital for the bank. According to news reports, the Giannoulias family had taken millions out of the bank just before real-estate backed investments collapsed.

Last week, David Hoffman told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Broadway Bank acted in a very different fashion than just about every other community bank in Illinois. It is simply not true that many other community banks were handing out loans in a high-risk way to Tony Rezko and convicted mobsters.” Hoffman told the Associated Press: “The reason that this Broadway Bank story and revelation is of such significance now is because it goes to the heart of matters of job performance and character.”

In November, Democratic pollster Geoff Garin wrote, “Alexi Giannoulias' own vulnerabilities are so significant, and far more damning than Kirk's among the electorate. ... His nomination would put Barack Obama's former Senate seat in extreme jeopardy for the Democrats.”

A November 21st report in the New York Times cited White House concerns about a Giannoulias-Kirk matchup: “White House qualms about the Democratic frontrunner, Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois treasurer, are self-evident, with worry that the Republican challenger, Representative Mark Kirk, will be needlessly formidable.”

In his acceptance speech, Congressman Kirk spoke about the need to clean up Illinois and restore integrity to the Land of Lincoln.

“For true reform, we must choose leaders who do not become criminals – men and women unafraid to stand alone to fight corruption, back prosecutors and pass the toughest ethics laws in America,” Kirk said. “The election before us offers voters a clear choice: will we continue with leaders raised in the tradition of Rod Blagojevich – or will we elect a reformer who can make our state proud?”

In addition to Giannoulias’ Broadway Bank woes, on December 22, 2009, the Chicago Tribune revealed Giannoulias lost $150 million in Illinois Bright Start family college savings – nearly twice what the State Treasurer had previously disclosed – due to his risky mortgage-backed investments. Despite promises to recover public funds, Giannoulias settled with Oppenheimer Funds for only half of the state’s losses. Previously, on May 3, 2009, the Chicago Tribune reported that Giannoulias used the Bright Start fund to buy himself an SUV before the investment collapsed.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What are the odds that Alexi will be forced out by the democratic party, and the party bosses will give the spot to Hoffman?

This particular seat had something similar happen 6 years ago, when Jack Ryan won the republican primary and was forced out over revelations from his (previously sealed) divorce papers. Alan Keyes was then chosen by the republican party bosses, faced Obama in the general election, and the rest, well........

The democrats switched US Senate candidates in New Jersey a couple of years ago, they pushed their nominee off the ballot right before the election and put Frank Lautenberg on instead. He went on to win.

I'm thrilled Alexi is the nominee, but I'm not so sure he will play all nine innings.

Anonymous said...

I think they knew what alexi was when he first ran for state treasurer and knew even more when he went for the senate. 9 months is a long time however and with the presidnet in the white house they could easily raise money for someone like tom dart.

I could see them also saying you know what, 47 percent of republican voters wanted 5 munchkins over mark kirk which means he is weak with the base and if we can hit him enough we can destroy him with democrats and moderates and independents so that all he's got are a small base of moderate republicans.

time will tell, i'd rather be team america tonight than catlady who i am sure is smart enough to read alexi's stuff and know he's a skunk.

FOKLAEAPS

Blue Wind said...

LOL. Now a campaign poll from Kirk is a "new poll". lol. All serious polls, including the most recent Rasmussen poll show Alexi clearly ahead of Kirk.

You can accept your own version of reality, but REAL polls show Giannoulias clearly ahead of Kirk. The most recent one shows Alexi ahead by 8 points. Link for your info:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/il/illinois_senate_giannoulias_vs_kirk-1092.html


I know you believe that Kirk will win, but start considering that he may not, so you dont get shocked in November. You understimate Giannoulias and in November you will have hard time understanding what happened.

Anonymous said...

WEll. Blue Wind, I guess we will just have to prove you wrong, very wrong. Catlady is now in full attack mode and it's almost funny. She blames the ills of the world on Mark Kirk, is obsessed with the guy. But back to your post that Alexi has the momentum. Get a grip and get a life. I can't wait to hear Mark Kirk and Alexi in a debate. Here's a guy who has shown he can't be trusted with other people's money and being proud of it. Come to think of it, he fits right in with the current folks who are totally messing up our country in DC who belong to your side of the aisle. Too bad that Alexi didn't stay with basketball as his career. Blue Wind, don't you think you'd be a lot happier over there with catlady and your other buddies. That's a statement, not a question.