TRIBUNE POLL: Big lead for Jim Ryan

The Chicago Tribune reports on the results of a new poll (conducted for the Tribune) that shows Jim Ryan with a solid, 14-point lead in the Republican Primary for Governor.  This is the third straight public poll showing Jim with a large, double-digit lead:

Former Attorney General Jim Ryan, who is seeking redemption after losing to Blagojevich in 2002 … has the backing of more than a quarter of Republican voters in the Feb. 2 primary …

On the Republican side, the poll of 600 likely GOP voters found Ryan with the support of 26 percent, to 12 percent for Andy McKenna, the former state party chairman. At 10 percent was state Sen. Bill Brady, of Bloomington, an unsuccessful 2006 Republican governor candidate, while state Sen. Kirk Dillard, of Hinsdale, had 9 percent. Three other candidates had the support of 6 percent or less of GOP voters.

Ryan, one of the last entrants in the race, is known after serving two terms in statewide office. He is getting the support of one-third of collar county primary voters and one in five voters outside the city and suburbs to take the early edge.

Watch this excerpt from the WGN TV News report below:

Kass on Ryan’s Integrity, Perspective

Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass has a great column about our campaign, writing:

The last time Jim Ryan ran for governor of Illinois, he offered voters a clear choice between a man who never took a dime in public life and Rod Blagojevich.

Kass quotes Jim:

“I’m running because I’m disgusted in what I see,” said Ryan, a distinguished fellow at Illinois Benedictine University’s Center of Civic Leadership and Public Service. “I teach young people and they’re disgusted, and that has to change.

“It’s very hard to convince young people today about public service. They see it as politics, as a blood sport; they see the corruption, they think politics is dirty work. There’s an entire generation of young people who’ll be turned off to public service if we don’t change that around. I’m in this for two reasons: to help my state and the people of my state.”

Please click here to read the full column and leave a comment on the Tribune Web site.