Expelled Rep. Derrick Smith Leads Election Rival in Poll

Former Rep. Derrick Smith this year was indicted, charged with accepting a $7,000 bribe, expelled from the Illinois House and replaced by a new lawmaker.

Yet Smith (D-Chicago) has a strong chance of winning back his seat back in the November election, according to new poll numbers.

A Sept. 12 poll of West Side voters shows Smith leads Unity Party candidate Lance Tyson by a 48-percent-to-9-percent margin, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The automated poll of 556 registered voters conducted by We Ask America showed 43 percent of the group were undecided.

We Ask America COO Gregg Durham told the Sun-Times the high margin could result in party loyalties and a certain number of people being unaware he was indicted and removed from the House.

Smith was indicted earlier this year and charged with accepting a $7,000 bribe in an FBI sting. He entered a plea of not guilty, and a select panel of House members voted this summer to recommend Smith be expelled from the House.

Eddie Winters was chosen to represent the 10th legislative district in place of Smith until the fall election.

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