The Chicago political machine may have to dig up every cemetary in town to find enough votes to keep the traditionally blue state of Illinois from turning red. According to a new poll, Congressman Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) has a 41% to 37% lead over State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias in their race to fill the US Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. Mr. Kirk's support has held steady over the past month while Mr. Giannoulias's has dropped 7 points (from 44%). (source)

Continued...

Mr. Giannoulias's chances have not been helped by recent news reports about loans to convicted felons made by his family-owned bank. Broadway Bank loaned a pair of Chicago crime figures about $20 million during a 14-month period when Giannoulias was a senior loan officer. The bank had already lent millions to Michael Giorango when he and a new business partner, Demitri Stavropoulos, came back in mid-2004. Although both men were preparing to serve federal prison terms, the bank embarked on a series of loans to them. Alexi Giannoulias took a senior position at the bank at about the same time and used it as a launching pad for his political career. (source)

The scandal has even fellow Democrats making jokes at their candidate's expense. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D) was recently asked if he thought the bank's problems would hurt Giannoulias's chances. His response: "I'm glad I don't have any deposits there." (source)

In addition to the organized crime connection, Mr. Giannoulias is also a longtime friend, supporter and political ally of President Obama. Given the current anti-Washington climate sweeping the country, that may be a more damaging connection than the one to convicted mobsters.

While the people of Illinois have a slightly more favorable view of the president's recently passed health care reform bill than the majority of the country (48% of Illinois voters think Obamacare will be good for the country while 44% think it will have a bad impact), they are still favoroing a switch to Republican leadership in their state. In the gubernatorial contest, Republican challenger Bill Brady leads incumbent Governor Pat Quinn (D) 45% to 38%.

And as if there wasn't enough anti-Democrat sentiment brewing in the President's adopted home state, yesterday the Chicago Tribune, the Associated Press and the Chicago Sun-Times went to court in a bid to unseal a key document detailing the government's case against former Governor Rod Blagojevich (D). (source) Mr. Blagojevich's trial on corruption charges (including the accusation that he tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by Pesident Obama) is set to begin on June 3.