The Pollak for Congress campaign has released poll data showing that Democrat incumbent Jan Schakowsky has fallen to 48%, while Republican challenger Joel Pollak is gaining ground at 30%.
Most telling, only 44% of voters say that Schakowsky deserves to be re-elected, while 42% say that it is time to give a new person a chance. Among those who feel most strongly, only 37% say that Schakowsky deserves to be re-elected, while 38% say it is time to give a new person a chance.
The poll was conducted by Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies, which conducted an autodial survey of 945 likely voters in the 9th congressional district on October 12. The margin of error is /- 3%.
Although Schakowsky's strong young challenger, Joel Pollak, still trails significantly, her inability to hit the 50 mark is telling. It's also important to note that Schakowsky usually waltzes in general elections, having never received less than 70 percent of the vote.
From 1998 to 2008, her final victory percentages were: 75, 76, 70, 76, 75, and 75. Being mired in the high 40's in mid-October suggests that Schakowsky is limping toward the finish line this cycle.
Here's Pollak's latest ad: