How the hell did the GOP win a senate race in Illinois as recently as 2010?

[PAK Man]

I remember the 2010 senate race very well (although I wasn't living in Illinois at the time). Mark Kirk was very, very popular. He often easily won reelection despite Democrats winning at the top of the ticket. At the time he was a moderate Republican (and as someone who met him once, I can tell you he's a nice guy in person). He was the best Republican to win a senate seat and he did in part by defeating Alexi Giannoulias, whose family had owned a bank that had some questionable dealings (it ended up closing). Kirk also was found to have embellished his military record. By the time of election day, neither one of them I don't think was terribly well-liked (hence the narrow margin of victory). I think if Giannoulias hadn't had his banking scandal, he would have won.