GOP's Ryan Leads Quinn for Governor in Illinois, but Not Hynes

Former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, a Republicans, leads Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn in a 2010 gubernatorial match-up, but Hynes finds himself statistically-tied with Quinn's challenger in a party primary, comptroller Dan Hynes, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Dec. 20.

Rasmussen did not match up Quinn and Hynes in a primary contest, but a Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll conducted Dec. 2-8 had Quinn ahead of Hynes by 49 percent to 23 percent, with 21 percent undecided. Rasmussen did not include former Attorney General Jim Ryan in the match-ups. In the Tribune/WGN poll, Ryan was leading the GOP pack. Both parties have their primaries Feb. 2.

Ryan leads Quinn 46 percent to 39 percent with 9 percent preferring someone else and 6 percent undecided. Hynes leads Ryan 42 percent to 40 percent with 7 percent preferring someone else and 11 percent undecided, within the survey's 4.5 point margin of error.

Last week, Rasmussen tested Quinn and Hynes against three other Republican hopefuls and both Democrats came out on top in each match-up, but Hynes ran slightly stronger than Quinn. That poll was conducted Dec. 14.

Quinn led former state GOP chairman Andy McKenna by 41 percent to 33 percent with 11 percent preferring someone else and 15 percent undecided. Hynes led McKenna 43 percent to 30 percent with 5 percent preferring someone else and 21 percent undecided.

Quinn led state Sen. Bill Brady 45 percent to 30 percent with 13 percent preferring someone else and 13 percent undecided. Hynes led him 46 percent to 27 percent with 8 percent preferring someone else and 9 percent undecided.

Quinn led state Sen. Kirk Dillard 41 percent to 30 percent with 10 percent preferring someone else and 19 percent undecided. Hynes lead him 42 percent to 29 percent with 8 percent preferring someone else and 21 percent undecided.

Quinn is the best known of all the candidates -- it was hard to miss him given that he took over the office when Rod Blagojevich was ousted following a corruption scandal -- with 52 percent seeing him favorably, 44 percent seeing him unfavorably and 5 percent not sure. About a quarter of voters don't know enough about the three Republicans to express an opinion, and 18 percent are in that category for Hynes.