In Illinois, as in many other Super Tuesday states, John McCain enjoys a modest lead over Mitt Romney. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds McCain earning 34% of the vote while Romney is eight points behind at 26%. The survey was conducted on Monday and Tuesday, finishing just before results from Florida’s Presidential Primary were known. Mike Huckabee finished a distant third at 16%.

Since the poll was completed, Rudy Giuliani has withdrawn from the race and endorsed McCain. America’s Mayor had picked up 9% of the Illinois vote in the poll.

The results in Illinois are broadly similar to those in California, site of a Republican debate on Wednesday night.

McCain is viewed favorably by 77% of Illinois Primary Voters while Romney earns positive reviews from 71%. The men earn generally equal ratings from those who supported Giuliani in the poll.

Just 54% of voters in the state are confident they will stick with their current choice when Election Day finally arrives. Fifteen percent (15%) say there’s a good chance they could change their mind. That figure, of course, went even higher with the withdrawal of Giuliani.

Forty-one percent (41%) consider the top voting issue to be the economy. Eighteen percent (18%) say it’s National Security while 14% name Immigration as their top priority.

Rasmussen Markets data following the candidate’s debate on Wednesday suggested that McCain had an 83% chance of winning the Republican Presidential nomination (current pricing: 83.7 %). See a summary of market data for the GOP Super Tuesday Primaries and the latest Rasmussen Reports Super Tuesday polls.

While market data suggests McCain is the overwhelming favorite for the nomination, the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows a close race between the two frontrunners. The coming days will begin the measure the race without Giuliani. A Rasmussen Reports analysis notes that the McCain’s circuitous path to the nomination has left him better off than his original frontrunner strategy.

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