IL-SEN 2010: Why did Giannoulias lose to Mark Kirk?

[Suburbia]

Why did Alexi Giannoulias lose to Mark Kirk in the 2010 Senate election?

Yes, I know Republicans can win elections in Illinois, but why did a rising star lose to a Republican who a lot of conservatives didn't trust?

[Roll Roons]

Mark Kirk is a much better politician than people give him credit for (or at least was before he had the stroke). In 2008, he was reelected by 6 points even as Obama carried his district by over 20. He had a lot of appeal to swing voters in the collar counties, and it's not like conservative downstate voters were going to vote for Giannoulias. Giannoulias was also a flawed candidate who had some ethical issues.

Plus the ILGOP did pretty well in 2010 because of the national mood and general disgust with Blagojevich - they picked up the treasurer and comptroller offices, along with four congressional districts that Obama had won two years earlier, plus holding Kirk's open House seat that pretty much everyone predicted would be one of the few D flips. Though they barely missed the governorship, which screwed them when it came to redistricting.

[brucejoel99]

Republican year + the controversy surrounding that Senate seat due to Blagojevich's corruption & the resultant fiasco that unfolded + Kirk more-or-less running as a fairly moderate politician by Republican standards, so that gave him some appeal + Giannoulias being a banker when bankers weren't all that popular.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

He was a corrupt banker with ties to Blagojevich in a year where everyone in Illinois was angry about corruption, bankers, and Blagojevich. Also, the Tea Party was at its height and the GOP won the House popular vote by almost 7%.

I’m also guessing due to Kirk’s near sweep of downstate that Giannoulias didn’t campaign there. That might have helped.

Lastly, one of the bellwether districts in the state, IL-10, was represented by none other than Mark Kirk at the time.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Kirk Dillard was supposed to be the Gov in 2010, he was respected by Dems and Rs and Indies, and Mark Kirk and Rauner were attached to him. Dillard wanted to raise revenue by putting a casino in Chicago, but Rauner never delivered on it. The Chicago transit system is the worst out of Denver, Dallas, LA and SF and NY. The casinos were needed to fund mass transit. Promises weren't fulfilled, that's why Rauner and Kirk were booted

[Green Line]

Kirk Dillard was supposed to be the Gov in 2010, he was respected by Dems and Rs and Indies, and Mark Kirk and Rauner were attached to him. Dillard wanted to raise revenue by putting a casino in Chicago, but Rauner never delivered on it. The Chicago transit system is the worst out of Denver, Dallas, LA and SF and NY. The casinos were needed to fund mass transit. Promises weren't fulfilled, that's why Rauner and Kirk were booted

Kirk Dillard endorsed Obama in 2008.  Despite how popular he had been with the Illinois GOP, that sunk any chance he had.  Its actually surprising he ran as well in the primary as he did considering that.

And what the heck are you talking about, Chicago has a better transit system than Denver, Dallas, LA and SF by any measure.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

No it doesnt, I lived in Chicago and the mass transit is slow .

The casino was supposed develop a speed rail transit system or bullet train that would take patrons from Downtown to Midway and OHare, it was cancelled.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

The Tea Party wasn’t stupid like they were in other states and realized Kirk was as good as they were going to get.

[Green Line]

No it doesnt, I lived in Chicago and the mass transit is slow .

The casino was supposed develop a speed rail transit system or bullet train that would take patrons from Downtown to Midway and OHare, it was cancelled.

Just what we needed.  A bullet train to O'Hare for the rich that would cost 20+ dollars.

[PAK Man]

Both Giannoulias and Kirk were unpopular - Giannoulias' family bank had failed during a time when banks really were not anyone's friend, and Kirk was caught exaggerating his military record - but Kirk was less unpopular, plus he had the normally reliably blue North Shore on his side. At that time, Kirk was a legitimate moderate Republican. I'd actually met him once before - he gave a speech during a student government breakfast and I shook his hand during the meeting - and he was a really nice person. I'd met Giannoulias too, and while I didn't get the impression he was a bad person, he had a way of coming off as kind of pompous.

[Del Tachi]

Giannoulias was a bad candidate and 2010 was a GOP year

[MarkD]

Because Kirk got 59,220 more votes -- 1,778,698 for Kirk and 1,719,478 for Giannoulis.

When you get less votes, you lose.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

It was a GOP wave yr, but voters made a very bad mistake to let Boehner who was an obstructionist,  as leader. McCarthy and Rs should remain in the minority,  due to the way GOP acted during the 6 yrs of Boehner

[brucejoel99]

Because Kirk got 59,220 more votes -- 1,778,698 for Kirk and 1,719,478 for Giannoulis.

When you get less votes, you lose.

Wow, who woulda thunk it?

[MarkD]

Because Kirk got 59,220 more votes -- 1,778,698 for Kirk and 1,719,478 for Giannoulis.

When you get less votes, you lose.

Wow, who woulda thunk it?

When people ask a simple question, ya gotta give 'em the simplest answer!

[brucejoel99]

Because Kirk got 59,220 more votes -- 1,778,698 for Kirk and 1,719,478 for Giannoulis.

When you get less votes, you lose.

Wow, who woulda thunk it?

When people ask a simple question, ya gotta give 'em the simplest answer!

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Jesse Jackson Jr appointment during the Blago fiasco spoiled the Senate seat for Giannoulias, this was important pickup for Rs, because it stopped Jesse Jackson Jr and Lisa Madigan,  whom Mike Madigan wanted this seat for, from rising to higher office and Prez ambitions. That's why the state GOP didnt really care about Rauner and Kirk losing in the next elections