An early look-ahead at the 2010 Senate race in Illinois when newly-appointed Democrat Roland Burris – the choice of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich – is up for re-election shows Burris and other potential Democratic candidates running ahead of Republicans who might enter the race, according to a Research 2000 poll conducted Jan. 26-28.

Of course, Burris has to nail down his party’s nomination first. Research 2000 tested him in a potential primary contest against six-term Rep. Jan Schakowsky and State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and had Burris at 26 percent, Schakowsky at 12 percent and Giannoulias at 11 percent. But 51 percent were undecided. Burris is obviously better known than the other two given all the recent publicity heaped upon him. Fifty-seven percent have no opinion on Schakowsky and 49 percent have no opinion of Giannoulias, but that number is a lesser 30 percent for Burris.

On the Republican side, Rep. Mark Kirk led Rep. Peter Roskam 27 percent to 17 percent but, again, at this early stage, no one’s really focused and 56 percent are undecided.

Here are the possible general election match-ups:

• Burris 37, Kirk 30, undecided 33.

• Burris 38, Roskam 25, undecided 37.

• Schakowsky 36, Kirk 30, undecided 34.

• Schakowsky 47, Roskam 25, undecided 38.

• Giannoulis 38, Kirk 30, undecided 32.

• Giannoulis 38, Roskam 25, undecided 37.