Exclusive: Pritzker Leads Bailey by 18

Gov. JB Pritzker leads Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) by 18 points in a new poll commissioned by The Illinoize.

UPDATED 8/31: Final figures from pollster included additional weighting for downstate sampling.

It appears Governor JB Pritzker is well on his way to re-election. In a new poll exclusive to The Illinoize, Pritzker leads conservative Republican opponent Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) by 18 points.

The statewide poll was conducted Thursday through Sunday by McHenry County-based firm Victory Geek, sampling 512 voters using both automated and live phone calls. The margin of error is ±4.3%

The poll shows Pritzker at 57%, Bailey at 37%, and 6% undecided or committed to a third party candidate.

Pritzker has a +16 favorability rating, with 55% approving of his job performance and 39% with an unfavorable opinion of him. 6% of respondents were unsure. Pritzker’s job approval has improved since a November poll from The Illinoize, showing him with a 50% to 44% favorable/unfavorable rating.

Bailey’s favorability is -23, with 26% favorable, 49% unfavorable, and 25% unsure of him. His numbers in Cook County are worse, with 66% unfavorable and 13% favorable (-53).

Pritzker leads Bailey 67%-24% in Cook County and 68%-29% in the suburbs. Bailey leads in the rest of the state 49%-43%. Pritzker leads with women by 20 points, 57% to 37%.

NewsPatrick Pfingsten