CHICAGO - Despite weeks of negative attacks from Washington insider Mark Kirk and the Republican Party, U.S. Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias continues to lead in the Illinois race for U.S. Senate, according to the latest Rasmussen poll released today. The poll, which the Kirk campaign has cited before to claim an advantage, consistently favors Republicans. It is also the third poll in as many weeks showing Giannoulias in the lead, while none show Kirk leading.

"Even Republican polls show Alexi's momentum with him leading," said Alexi for Illinois Campaign Manager Mike Rendina. "Illinois voters are showing again and again that they see through the same old, negative smear attacks from Republican Mark Kirk. Illinois families want a Senator who will fight for them every day to create new jobs, not a Washington insider who has spent over a decade in Congress taking millions from Wall Street and corporations and then voting their way."

According to Fox News in Chicago, Rasmussen has Giannoulias in the lead over Kirk 44-41 percent, which is a 9-point swing from its February 3 data that showed Mark Kirk with a 46-40 lead. The poll was conducted on March 8, 2010 after a week of negative press coverage and attacks against Alexi. ["Rasmussen: Giannoulias over Kirk 44-41", Capital Fax Blog, 3/10/10]

Recent results from Research 2000, Greenburg Quinlan Rosner, and PPP polls show Giannoulias in the lead, while the Kirk campaign has not released any polling, suggesting that their data show Giannoulias in the lead as well.

Early last week, the Alexi for Illinois campaign released a State of the Race polling memo that shows a more accurate analysis of the Senate race in Illinois by looking at a blend of external and internal polling. That memo, which concludes, "We fully expect this to be a closely contested matchup throughout the year, but Giannoulias starts with the upper hand," can be found here.

Independent experts agree and have consistently verified the polling firm's controversial methodology and that the firm heavily favors Republican candidates, so it can be assumed that Alexi lead is actually greater than the results posted today.