Poll Shows Indicted Ex-Rep. Smith Would Win Re-Election If Election Were Held Today

By Chuck Sudo in News on Sep 17, 2012 7:45PM

Good news for indicted and expelled State rep. Derrick Smith. A poll showed that, if the November election were to be held today, Smith would be able to punch a return ticket to Springfield.

Sun-Times Springfield bureau chief Dave McKinney has the deets.

Smith led 10th District Unity Party candidate Lance Tyson by a 48- to 9-percent margin in an automated poll of 556 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.15 percent.

The survey, which showed 43 percent of respondents undecided, was performed by Illinois pollster We Ask America on Sept. 12 and first reported Monday by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rich Miller in his Capitol Fax newsletter.

Gregg Durham, head of the group that conducted the poll, said tried to explain the numbers.

"Usually, when we dig into these types of details, there's a surprising amount of people busy making a living, raising kids and going through normal struggles of life who are unaware of what has happened," Durham told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Smith was indicted in March of accepting a bribe and easily won the Democratic primary for his district. He became the first member of the Illinois House to be expelled from office since 1905 in a special August session of the House called by Speaker Michael Madigan. (And isn't that special session starting to look even more ridiculous?)

If Smith wins re-election in November we wonder if Madigan would call for another expulsion vote?