From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006
Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006
Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006 high disapproval rating. However, the Republicans fared
poorly in elections since 2002 due to scandals involving
prior Governor George Ryan, as well as changing demo-
graphics in the state as a whole (see blue state).
2002 ← November 7, 2006 → 2010
Republican primary
Candidates
• Judy Baar Topinka , Illinois State Treasurer
• Jim Oberweis, owner of Oberweis Dairy
• Bill Brady, Illinois State Senator
• Rod Gitwitz, businessman
• Andy Martin, perennial candidate
Campaign
On November 7, 2005, Topinka announced that she would
not seek re-election as state treasurer — instead, she en-
Nominee Rod Blagojevich Judy Baar Rich Whitney
Topinka tered the gubernatorial primary, hoping to challenge De-
mocratic Governor Rod Blagojevich. The Republican pri-
Party Democratic Republican Greenmary was deeply divisive; her tenure as Party Chairman
Running mate Pat Quinn destroyed
Joe Birkett Julie Samuels her support from the conservative wing of her
party, and it was feared that her pro-choice and positive
Popular vote 1,736,731 1,369,315 361,336
gay rights positions would be detrimental to her standing
Percentage 49.79% 39.26% with
10.36% the same conservatives. In December she an-
nounced that she would join forces with DuPage County
State’s Attorney Joe Birkett as a candidate for Lieutenant
Governor of Illinois.
In February 2006, the candidates for the Republican
nomination for Illinois Governor began running their
first TV ads for the March statewide primary election.
Rival candidate Ron Gidwitz’s advertisements, attacking
Topinka, were rebuked in the same week by the Illinois
Republican Party: "In an unprecedented action, the Illi-
nois Republican Party has officially rebuked the Gidwitz
campaign for this ad because the Party found that the
ad violates the Party’s "Code of Conduct," which was en-
County Results acted to police proper conduct among Republican candi-
dates."
Governor before election Elected Governor Later in February, candidate Jim Oberweis, another
Rod Blagojevich Rod Blagojevich
Democratic Democratic rival for the Republican Gubernatorial nomination, start-
ed a series of attack ads for television markets, against
Topinka, that were even more widely criticized, mostly
The Illinois gubernatorial election of 2006 occurred on
for using "fake" headlines on the images of actual Illinois
November 7, 2006. The Governor of Illinois, Democrat
newspapers. [2] [3] These ads, like Gidwitz’s ads, also came
Rod Blagojevich, won re-election for a four-year term
under review by the Illinois Republican Party. [4] Because
scheduled to have ended on January 10, 2011. However,
of the controversy generated, several television stations
Blagojevich was impeached in 2009. Many observers ex-
withdrew Oberweis’s ads. [5]
pected the race to be close, especially considering the
polling [1], which has shown Governor Blagojevich had a
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006
Results Polling
Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Judy Baar Topin- 280,701 38.15%
ka
Republican Jim Oberweis 233,576 31.74%
Republican Bill Brady 135,370 18.40%
Republican Ron Gidwitz 80,068 10.88%
Republican Andy Martin 6,095 0.83%
Totals 735,810 100.00%
Polling on 14 October 2006
Democratic primary Results
Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006[3]
Candidates
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
• Rod Blagojevich, incumbent Governor of Illinois
• Edwin Eisendrath, former Chicago City Council Democratic Rod Blago- 1,736,731 49.79% -2.40%
Alderman, former HUD official jevich
inc.)
(inc.)
Results Republican Judy Baar 1,369,315 39.26% -5.81%
Democratic primary results[2] Topinka
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Green Rich Whit- 361,336 10.36%
ney
Democratic Rod Blagojevich 669,006 70.84%
(inc.) Write-ins 20,607 0.59%
Democratic Edwin 275,375 29.16% Majority 367,416 10.53% +3.41%
Eisendrath Turnout 3,487,989
Totals 944,397 100.00% Democratic hold Swing
Blagojevich was declared the winner by 10:00 p.m. A fac-
General election tor of his 10-point victory over Topinka was her just win-
ning in rural counties, by slim margins.
Candidates
Green Party Establishment
On ballot The Green Party became an established political party
• Rod Blagojevich(Democratic Party), incumbent statewide, according to Illinois state election law, when
Governor of Illinois Rich Whitney received more than 5% of the total vote
• Judy Baar Topinka (Republican Party), Illinois State for Governor. This status provides the party with several
Treasurer new advantages, such as lower signature requirements
• Rich Whitney (Green Party), civil rights attorney for ballot access, primary elections, free access to addi-
from Carbondale, Illinois tional voter data, the ability to elect precinct commit-
teemen, run a partial slate of candidates at any jurisdic-
Write-ins
tional level, and slate candidates without petitioning. The
• Marvin Koch, Chicago-area property manager and only other statewide established political parties are the
naval reservist. Democratic and Republican parties. It is rare for a new
• Mark McCoy (Libertarian Party), legal Scholar and political party to become established statewide in Illinois,
Rights Defender the last to do so being the Solidarity Party in 1986 and the
• [[Angel Rivera, lung transplant procurement Progressive Party before that.
coordinator at the University of Chicago Medical
Center
• Randy Stufflebeam, Illinois Constitution Party
chairman, USMC veteran and church activist
• Mike Shorten
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006
Source Date Blagojevich (D) Topinka (R) Whitney (G) Remainder
Survey USA November 2, 2006 45% 37% 14% 4%
Survey USA October 23, 2006 44% 34% 14% 8%
Rasmussen October 19, 2006 44% 36% 9% 11%
Zogby/WSJ October 16, 2006 47.1% 33.2% 11.3% 8.4%
Glengariff Group October 15, 2006 39% 30% 9% 22%
Tribune/WGN-TV October 11, 2006 43% 29% 9% 19%
Survey USA September 20, 2006 45% 39% 7% 9%
Rasmussen September 13, 2006 48% 36% Omitted 16%
Sun-Times/NBC5 September 12, 2006 56% 26% 3% 15%
Tribune/WGN-TV September 11, 2006 45% 33% 6% 16%
Zogby/WSJ September 11, 2006 46.5% 33.6% Omitted 19.9%
Research 2000 August 31, 2006 47% 39% 2% 12%
Zogby/WSJ August 28, 2006 44.8% 37.6% Omitted 17.6%
Rasmussen August 10, 2006 45% 37% Omitted 18%
Survey USA July 25, 2006 45% 34% Omitted 21%
Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 44.4% 36.4% Omitted 19.2%
Rasmussen July 13, 2006 45% 34% Omitted 21%
Zogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 41.1% 37.5% Omitted 21.4%
Glengariff Group June 1–3, 2006 41% 34% 25%
Survey USA May 23, 2006 43% 37% Omitted 20%
Rasmussen April 24, 2006 38% 44% Omitted 18%
Rasmussen March 31, 2006 41% 43% Omitted 16%
Rasmussen February 25, 2006 42% 36% Omitted 22%
Rasmussen February 7, 2006 37% 48% Omitted 15%
Research 2000 January 22, 2006 45% 37% 18%
See also [3] http://www.elections.illinois.gov/
ElectionInformation/
• 2006 Election for statewide offices in the State of VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GE&ElectionID=19&SearchType
Illinois
• U.S. gubernatorial elections, 2006
• State of Illinois
External links
• Governors of Illinois • Whitney’s Campaign Website
• Electoral history of Rod Blagojevich • Blagojevich’s Campaign Website
• Topinka’s Campaign Website
References • Stufflebeam’s Campaign Website
• Mark McCoy’s Campaign Website
[1] http://www.elections.illinois.gov/ • Koch’s Campaign Website
ElectionInformation/ • Quinn’s Campaign Website
VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=18&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=3486&QueryType=Office&
• Birkett’s Campaign Website
[2] http://www.elections.illinois.gov/
ElectionInformation/
VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=18&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=3486&QueryType=Office&
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Illinois gubernatorial election, 2006
Categories:
• Illinois elections, 2006
• Illinois gubernatorial elections
• United States gubernatorial elections, 2006
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