Former Rep. Debbie Halvorson grabbed the lead heading into the final weekend of the campaign for the 2nd Congressional District Democratic nomination, according to a poll conducted for WCKG radio.
In the poll of 500 voters, Halvorson had 21 percent while former state Rep. Robin Kelly had 17 percent -- within the margin of error. The poll was reported in The Daily Journal of Kankakee.
“The results of this latest poll confirms what other polls — outside the Robin Kelly campaign — have indicated," Halvorson said in a statement, that she’s in the lead.
Earlier this month, Kelly released an internal poll showing her leading Halvorson 26 percent to 22 percent -- also within the margin of error.
Pollster Rod McCulloch told The Daily Journal that negative ads paid for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Independence USA PAC “may have backfired.”
The ads highlighted Halvorson’s past alliance with the National Rifle Association. But conservative, pro-gun voters in Will and Kankakee counties may have taken the ads as an endorsement of Halvorson, and may be willing to cross over to the Democratic primary, because the Republican primary is meaningless. The Illinois State Rifle Association has sent postcards to its members declaring "A Vote For Robin Kelly Is A Vote For Michael Bloomberg" and "A Vote For Debbie Halvorson Is A Vote For AMERICA."
