If you’re  a Democrat running for public office in Illinois you might just want to turn away that endorsement from Barack Obama. I know, it sounds crazy that an endorsement from the Illinois-based president could harm a Democrat in Illinois. But according to the latest Public Policy Polling survey, that’s precisely the case.

40% of voters in the state say they’d be less likely to support an Obama endorsed candidate to only 26% who say it would be an asset. The reality at this point is that Obama turns Republican voters off to a much greater extent than he excites Democrats. That’s reflected in the fact that 83% of Republicans say an Obama endorsement would be a negative with them while only 49% of Democrats say it would be a positive. Independents also respond negatively by a 38/19 margin.

The numbers on an Obama endorsement are perhaps more relevant with undecided voters. Among those who have not yet made up their minds in the Senate race 21% say an Obama endorsement would resonate positively with them while 33% say it would be a turnoff.

Barack Obama’s endorsement isn’t quite helpful in Pennsylvania, either. According to the survey, you’re better off touting the endorsement of Sarah Palin in the Keystone State than having the president campaign on your behalf.

There 28% of voters say they’d be more inclined to vote for someone supported by Palin while only 20% say the same about Obama. Likewise 49% say an Obama endorsement would hurt a candidate’s cause with them to 46% who say the same about Palin.

Let’s add some perspective to this result: Pennsylvania, lead by a Democratic governor and represented by two Democratic senators, hasn’t voted for a Republican candidate for president since 1988 — more than two decades. So when polls find an endorsement by Sarah Palin less harmful than one from the sitting incumbent Democratic president…it’s time for Democrats to worry.

Barack Obama may be playing well on the editorial page of the New York Times and in Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco. But he and his policies are being rejected across the rest of the nation. The president has lost support from Peoria. Literally.