CHICAGO –With less than two weeks left until election day, embattled U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. still tops off as the favorite in a recent poll conducted by We Ask America.
While premature reports circulated early Sunday about Jackson’s return to the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic for tests, by Sunday evening, 58 percent of likely voters in the heavily democratic 2nd Congressional District polled had already pictured him back in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The poll placed Republican challenger Brian Woodworth second, as the favorite of 27 percent of those voters, while 15 percent chose Independent Marcus Lewis.
On Sunday evening We Ask America conducted the automated poll, which has a margin of error of ±3.5 percent, according to the group. “As with all our polls this late in election season, we force participants to make a choice–no “undecided,” We Ask America said when results went public Monday.
Out of the 819 likely voters polled, 62 percent self-identified as Democrats, 18 percent said they were Republicans and 11 percent said they were independent voters.
The poll showed that Jackson was also the favorite of 81 percent of African Americans polled, 71 percent of Asians polled, 40 percent of Hispanics polled and 32 percent of whites polled. Jackson is a favorite among women, with 65 percent saying they would vote for him, while 49 percent of men chose him. Fifty-four percent of white voters polled said they would vote for Republican challenger Brian Woodworth.
Just over half, 55 percent, of voters polled said they are happy with the choice of candidates when asked “Do you agree or disagree with this statement: I am happy with the candidates on the ballot, I do not wish someone else was running instead.” During primary elections in February, Jackson won over challenger Debbie Halvorson with more than two-thirds of the vote.
Among women, 59 percent agreed, while exactly half of men agreed. Sixty-nine percent of African Americans agreed, followed by 57 percent of Asians and half of Hispanic voters. Among white voters, 57 percent said they were not happy with the candidates on the ballot.
On Saturday, Jackson gave his first public message in four months in a recorded message to his 2nd Congressional District in which he asked for constituents’ patience and said he was anxious to get back to work. He did not give a timeline for his return, nor has his campaign representatives, congressional representatives or father, civil rights leader and former presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson. The elder Jackson confirmed Sunday that his son wound be returning to the Mayo Clinic for tests.
Last week, Jackson was accused of misusing campaign money and drinking with women who weren’t his wife at a Washington, D.C. bar. Additionally, Jackson’s message came just days after the Illinois congressman told The Daily he is “not well” in his first interview since he undertook an extended leave of absence.
A House Ethics Committee continues to look into Jackson’s supposed involvement in trying to be appointed to now-President Barack Obama’s seat in the U.S. Senate, reported NBC Chicago. Jackson has admitted he wanted to be appointed to the Senate, but has repeatedly denied allegations he sent emissaries to offer campaign cash to then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich in exchange for the seat, the report said.
Illinois Congressmen Danny Davis and Bobby Rush visited Jackson in his Washington, D.C. home Monday. According to the Chicago Tribune, Davis said they met with Jackson for “a personal assessment of his mental and emotional state.” According to him, Jackson cried during the two-hour conversation. Rush confirmed that Jackson left for the Mayo Clinic Monday.
“He has not been derelict in his duties (as Congressman),” said Rush, as he and Davis spoke at an O’Hare International Airport news conference Monday evening, reported the Tribune.
Rush described Jackson as “the Derrick Rose of the Illinois Delegation,” – a star sidelined by injury, the report said. “No one is clamoring for Derrick Rose to come back before he should,” Rush said about the injured Bulls star.
It is still unclear whether or not Jackson will return to his seat. The elder Jackson told theGrio Sunday that this week’s tests will determine his status.
Renita Young is a Chicago-based multimedia journalist. Follow her on Twitter @RenitaDYoung.