It’s anybody’s guess who Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants to succeed President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. But one pol may be emerging as the favored pick of the progressive netroots.

As of Monday morning, more than 5,500 people have signed a “Jan Schakowsky for Senate” petition created by FireDogLake’s Oxdown Gazette. While other bloggers have suggesting that appointing a placeholder might be the most “small-d” democratic option, Ari Rabin-Havt explained that his site couldn’t pass up an opportunity to support a “true progressive champion.” He goes on to highlight the North Shore Democrats’ opposition to the Iraq war, her consumer activism, and her progressive voting record (ninth overall in the House, according to Progressive Punch).