2006 Illinois gubernatorial election

none related races 2006 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 2006 Illinois gubernatorial election Illinois presidential no 2002 Illinois gubernatorial election 2002 2010 Illinois gubernatorial election 2010 November 7, 2006 File:Rod Blagojevich (2911120436) 3x4.jpg 150x150px Rod Blagojevich Pat Quinn Democratic Party (United States) 1,736,731 49.79% File:Judy Baar Topinka (cropped).jpg Judy Baar Topinka Joe Birkett Republican Party (United States) 1,369,315 39.26% File:Rich Whitney (cropped).jpg Rich Whitney Julie Samuels Green Party of the United States 361,336 10.36% 160px 160px County results Blagojevich: #bdd3ff 30–40% #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70%Topinka: #ffc8cd 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Governor Rod Blagojevich Democratic Party (United States) Rod Blagojevich Democratic Party (United States) 47.29% 2.76 pp The 2006 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich won re-election to a second four-year term scheduled to have ended on January 10, 2011. However, Blagojevich did not complete his term, as he was impeached and removed from office in 2009. This was the first election since 1964 that a Democrat was re-elected governor. Many observers expected the race to be close, especially considering the polling,http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=8eca95c7-104b-43c0-8ca5-20048b49913a SurveyUSA News Poll #8260 Surveyusa.com 2015-03-30 which had shown Governor Blagojevich to have a high disapproval rating. However, the Republicans had fared poorly due to scandals involving prior Governor George Ryan, and the increasingly unpopular presidency of George W. Bush. Exit polls showed Topinka won white voters (46%–41%-13%), while Blagojevich performed well among African Americans (80%–16%-2%) and Latinos (83%–12%-4%). Democrats won Will County for the first time since 1964, and Lake County for the first time since 1960. This was the second and last time in Illinois that a woman was a major party's nominee for governor, the other being 1994. This was also the last time a male lieutenant governor was on the winning ticket. Background The primaries and general elections coincided with those for Congress and those for other state offices. The election was part of the 2006 Illinois elections. 2006 Illinois elections#Turnout For the primaries, turnout for the gubernatorial primaries was 23.13%, with 1,680,207 votes cast and turnout for the lieutenant gubernatorial primaries was 20.60% with 1,496,453 votes cast.Voter Turnout https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx www.elections.il.gov Illinois State Board of Elections 24 March 2020 30 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210530142655/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx dead Election Results https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx www.elections.il.gov Illinois State Board of Elections 23 March 2020 22 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200222093629/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx dead For the general election, turnout was 47.29%, with 3,487,989 votes cast. Democratic primary Governor Candidates Rod Blagojevich, incumbent governor of Illinois Edwin Eisendrath, former Chicago alderman and former HUD official Results thumb|160px|County results #7996E2 Blagojevich #7996E2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% #584CDE 70–80% #3933E5 80–90% #5bc75bff Eisendrath #5bc75bff 50–60% #41b742ff 60–70% Democratic gubernatorial primary results Rod Blagojevich (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 669,006 70.84 Edwin Eisendrath Democratic Party (United States) 275,375 29.16 944,397 100.00 Lieutenant governor Candidates Pat Quinn, incumbent lieutenant governor of Illinois Pamela R. Schadow Results Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results Pat Quinn (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 819,005 100.00 Pamela R. Schadow Democratic Party (United States) 17 0.00 819,022 100.00 Republican primary Governor Candidates Bill Brady, Illinois state Senator Ron Gidwitz, businessman and former chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education Andy Martin, perennial candidate Jim Oberweis, owner of Oberweis Dairy Judy Baar Topinka, Illinois state treasurer Declined Jim Edgar, former governorhttps://news.stlpublicradio.org/other/2005-09-30/jim-edgar-says-no-to-run-for-illinois-governor Jim Edgar says no to run for Illinois Governor 30 September 2005 Campaign On November 7, 2005, Topinka announced that she would not seek re-election as state treasurer — instead, she entered the gubernatorial primary, hoping to challenge Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich. The Republican primary was deeply divisive; her tenure as party chairman destroyed her support from the conservative wing of her party, and it was feared that her pro-choice and positive gay rights positions would be detrimental to her standing with the same conservatives. In December she announced that she would join forces with DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett as a candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois. In February 2006, the candidates for the Republican nomination for Illinois governor began running their first TV ads for the March statewide primary election. Rival candidate Ron Gidwitz's advertisements attacking Topinka were rebuked in the same week by the Illinois Republican Party: "In an unprecedented action, the Illinois Republican Party has officially rebuked the Gidwitz campaign for this ad because the Party found that the ad violates the Party's "Code of Conduct", which was enacted to police proper conduct among Republican candidates." Later in February, candidate Jim Oberweis, another rival for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, started a series of attack ads for television markets, against Topinka, that were even more widely criticized, mostly for using "fake" headlines on the images of actual Illinois newspapers.TribuneFactCheck These ads, like Gidwitz's ads, also came under review by the Illinois Republican Party.SLPD Because of the controversy generated, several television stations withdrew Oberweis's ads.DH Results 160px|thumb|County results #e27f7f Baar Topinka #ffc8cd 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #5bc75b Oberweis #aae5aa 30–40% #87de87 40–50% #5bc75b 50–60% #41b742 60–70% #ff7644 Brady #ffac8e 30–40% #ff8e65 40–50% #ff7644 50–60% #dc6134 60–70% Republican gubernatorial primary resultshttp://www.elections.illinois.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=18&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=3486&QueryType=Office& Ballots Cast Elections.illinois.gov 2006-03-21 2015-03-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20160113220408/http://www.elections.illinois.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=18&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=3486&QueryType=Office& 2016-01-13 dead Judy Baar Topinka Republican Party (United States) 280,701 38.15 Jim Oberweis Republican Party (United States) 233,576 31.74 Bill Brady Republican Party (United States) 135,370 18.40 Ron Gidwitz Republican Party (United States) 80,068 10.88 Andy Martin Republican Party (United States) 6,095 0.83 735,810 100.00 Lieutenant governor Candidates Joe Birkett, DuPage County state's attorney Lawrence Bruckner, lawyer Jeremy Bryan Cole Steve Rauschenberger, member of the Illinois Senate Sandy Wegman, Kane County recorderProsecutor removes office from case https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-01-21-0601210243-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 24 March 2020 21 January 2006 Results thumb|160px|County results #e27f7f Birkett #ffc8cd 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #5bc75b Rauschenberger #aae5aa 30–40% #87de87 40–50% Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results Joe Birkett Republican Party (United States) 342,950 50.63 Steve Rauschenberger Republican Party (United States) 202,905 29.95 Sandy Wegman Republican Party (United States) 90,255 13.32 Lawrence L. Bruckner Republican Party (United States) 41,307 6.19 Jeremy Bryan Cole Republican Party (United States) 14 0.00 677,431 100.00 General election Candidates On ballot Rod Blagojevich (Democratic Party), incumbent governor of Illinois Judy Baar Topinka (Republican Party), Illinois state treasurer Rich Whitney (Green Party), attorneyAugust 2023 Write-ins The following were write-in candidates.Official Vote Cast at the General Election November 7, 2006 November 7, 2006 Illinois State Board of Elections September 26, 2023 https://archive.org/details/officialvote2006illi/page/n5/mode/2up Marvin Koch, Chicago-area property manager and naval reservist. Mark McCoy (Libertarian Party), legal scholar and rights defender Angel Rivera, lung transplant procurement coordinator at the University of Chicago Medical Center Mike Shorten Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report2006 Governor Race Ratings for November 6, 2006 https://cookpolitical.com/races/report_pdfs/2006_gov_ratings_nov6.pdf The Cook Political Report October 1, 2006 June 5, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080605094803/https://cookpolitical.com/races/report_pdfs/2006_gov_ratings_nov6.pdf dead Lean D November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal BallElection Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/ljs2006110601/ Sabato's Crystal Ball 6 November 2006 June 25, 2021 Lean D November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report2006 Gubernatorial Ratings https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/governor/2006-gubernatorial-ratings Senate Ratings The Rothenberg Political Report June 25, 2021 Likely D November 2, 2006 Real Clear PoliticsElection 2006 https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/writeup/election_2006-21.html Real Clear Politics June 25, 2021 Lean D November 6, 2006 Polling frame|none|Polling on 14 October 2006 Source Date RodBlagojevich (D) Judy BaarTopinka (R) RichWhitney (G) OtherSurvey USAhttps://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=d12d8009-c9af-4756-b8ff-da5a0019fa1a Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #10617 www.surveyusa.com November 2, 2006 45% 37% 14% 4%Survey USAhttps://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=40acf414-2c7d-4e40-bf16-d249fb9a090d Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #10435 www.surveyusa.com October 23, 2006 44% 34% 14% 8%Rasmussenhttps://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/October%202006/IllinoisGovernor.htm Election Polls 2006: Illinois Governor https://web.archive.org/web/20061020003643/https://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/October%202006/IllinoisGovernor.htm October 20, 2006 October 19, 2006 44% 36% 9% 11%Zogby/WSJhttps://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-elections06.html info-elections06 www.wsj.com October 16, 2006 47.1% 33.2% 11.3% 8.4%Glengariff GroupGlengariff Group October 15, 2006 39% 30% 9% 22%Tribune/WGN-TVhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-061013gov-poll,1,6356115.story?coll=chi-news-hed Tribune/WGN-TV Chicago Tribune October 11, 2006 43% 29% 9% 19%Survey USAhttps://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=a3cfe55c-9636-4a03-8af2-e56e8a28b555 Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #10314 www.surveyusa.com September 20, 2006 45% 39% 7% 9%RasmussenRasmussen September 13, 2006 48% 36% – 16%Sun-Times/NBC5http://www.nbc5.com/politics/9869507/detail.html Politics, "Dates" Put Bumps in Obamas' Marriage Mike Celizic October 29, 2009 September 12, 2006 56% 26% 3% 15%Tribune/WGN-TVhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-060911poll,1,3942697.story?coll=chi-news-hed Tribune/WGN-TV Chicago Tribune September 11, 2006 45% 33% 6% 16%Zogby/WSJhttps://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-flash06.html?project=elections06-ft&h=495&w=778&hasAd=1&mod=blogs WSJ.com www.wsj.com September 11, 2006 46.5% 33.6% – 19.9%Research 2000http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/BADD8D7F3977374E862571DD000F8BE4?OpenDocument Research 2000June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes August 31, 2006 47% 39% 2% 12%Zogby/WSJ August 28, 2006 44.8% 37.6% – 17.6%Rasmussenhttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/August/IllinoisGovernor.htm Election Poll 2006: Illinois Governor August 19, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060819223703/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/August/IllinoisGovernor.htm August 19, 2006 August 10, 2006 45% 37% – 18%Survey USAhttps://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=7515b389-612a-4cc8-801f-87737ccbf263 Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #9827 www.surveyusa.com July 25, 2006 45% 34% – 21%Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 44.4% 36.4% – 19.2%Rasmussenhttp://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/July%202006/ilGovernor.htm ilGovernor https://web.archive.org/web/20060716235701/http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/July%202006/ilGovernor.htm July 16, 2006 July 13, 2006 45% 34% – 21%Zogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 41.1% 37.5% – 21.4%Glengariff Grouphttp://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisstatenews/story/8907CCFD23C0CD84862571880016FE8E?OpenDocument https://archive.today/20060613214232/http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisstatenews/story/8907CCFD23C0CD84862571880016FE8E?OpenDocument dead Glengariff Group June 13, 2006 June 1–3, 2006 41% 34% – 25%Survey USAhttps://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=b4122324-8417-4df8-9772-ab7099d2b8ec Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #9283 www.surveyusa.com May 23, 2006 43% 37% – 20%Rasmussenhttp://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/April%202006/Illinois%20Governor%20April.htm Election 2006 Poll https://web.archive.org/web/20060512210633/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/April%202006/Illinois%20Governor%20April.htm May 12, 2006 April 24, 2006 38% 44% – 18%RasmussenRasmussen March 31, 2006 41% 43% – 16%RasmussenRasmussen February 25, 2006 42% 36% – 22%RasmussenRasmussen February 7, 2006 37% 48% – 15%Research 2000Research 2000 January 22, 2006 45% 37% – 18% Results 2006 Illinois gubernatorial electionhttp://www.elections.illinois.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GE&ElectionID=19&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=3780&QueryType=Office& Ballots Cast Elections.illinois.gov 2006-11-07 2015-03-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20120319062608/http://www.elections.illinois.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GE&ElectionID=19&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=3780&QueryType=Office& 2012-03-19 dead Democratic Party (United States) Rod Blagojevich (incumbent) 1,736,731 49.79% -2.40% Republican Party (United States) Judy Baar Topinka 1,369,315 39.26% -5.81% Green Party (United States) Rich Whitney 361,336 10.36% n/a 20,607 0.59% n/a 3,487,989 100.00% n/a Democratic Party (United States) Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Will (largest city: Joliet) Williamson (largest city: Marion) Boone (largest city: Belvidere) Mercer (largest city: Aledo) Monroe (largest city: Waterloo) Henderson (largest village: Oquawka) Knox (largest city: Galesburg) Lake (largest city: Waukegan) Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Jackson (largest city: Carbondale) Cass (largest city: Beardstown) Christian (largest city: Taylorville) Clinton (largest city: Breese) Marion (largest city: Centralia) Mason (largest city: Havana) Greene (largest city: Carrollton) Macoupin (largest city: Carlinville) Macon (largest city: Decatur) Montgomery (largest city: Litchfield) Crawford (largest city: Robinson) Aftermath March 2017 The Green Party became an established political party statewide, according to Illinois state election law, when Rich Whitney received more than 5% of the total vote for governor. The new status provided the party with several new advantages, such as lower signature requirements for ballot access, primary elections, free access to additional voter data, the ability to elect precinct committeemen, run a partial slate of candidates at any jurisdictional level, and slate candidates without petitioning. The only other statewide established political parties were the Democratic and Republican parties. It is rare for a new political party to become established statewide in Illinois, the last to do so being the Solidarity Party in 1986 and the Progressive Party before that. See also 2006 Illinois elections 2006 United States gubernatorial elections 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois References External links Official campaign websites (archived) Whitney's campaign website Blagojevich's campaign website Topinka's campaign website Stufflebeam's campaign website Mark McCoy's campaign website Koch's campaign website Quinn's campaign website Birkett's campaign website Governor 2006 Illinois Category:Rod Blagojevich