With 31 days left until the election, both Democratic and Republican candidates are trying to get out the vote and are looking for victory. Republican gubernatorial candidate and State Senator Bill Brady looked to rally support among the party's faithful in DuPage County, after a poll shows an apparent shift in the race for Illinois governor.
"The polls show various things, but we feel very good about what we're hearing on the streets as we're campaigning," Brady told ABC7 Chicago Saturday.
The latest survey has Gov. Pat Quinn now leading Brady by 39 percent to 38 percent. That's a change from four weeks ago when a Chicago Tribune poll gave Brady a 5 percent lead over Quinn.
While introducing a tax amnesty program for delinquent taxpayers Saturday, Quinn said the issues of jobs, the economy and education are key, and he praisethe state's Put Illinois to Work program.
" I want to make sure we have jobs for people who want to work, and that's what a governor should do," Quinn said. "We have 5,000 private employers who have participated in the program, and I think that's a great tribute to private sector employment."
The Tribune shows the U.S. Senate Race-- like the governor's battle-- is virtually tied. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic nominee, edges Republican congressman Mark Kirk 38 to 36 percent.
"Whether you're Democrat, Republican or Independent, I think folks agree that Washington, DC is broken. Congressman Kirk has been in DC for 20 years. If you love the way Washington, DC is working, then he's your guy," Giannoulias said.
Some Democrats, who courted African-American voters Saturday and even took to the hardwood for a basketball game with presidential pal and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, say Giannoulias is favored over the congressman.
"In the end, this is two men and one choice, and I think people are going to decide based on their pocketbooks. Who will raise taxes? Alexi Giannoulias. Who will fight raising taxes? Mark Kirk," Kirk said.
Although some polls show some distrust among voters for both candidates, the Republican in the race says the only important poll is that on election day.
"I don't know which way to go. I'm very, very concerned," voter Rita McDonough said. "I want to hear exactly what these guys are going to do."
Political experts say there is no doubt that independent candidates, along with candidates from the Green Party, will impact the results of the election on election day.
