Blagojevich trial raises big question: How did this guy ever win 2 terms as Illinois governor?

Trial mystery: How did Blagojevich get elected?

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Anyone who knows Rod Blagojevich from his reality TV appearances or his corruption trial might ask, “How did this guy get elected governor of Illinois?”

The answer is a mix of luck, skill, blind partisanship, scandal fatigue and the power of money.

Today, the Chicago Democrat is infamous for profane rants. People know he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on clothes and can barely use a computer.

But in 2002, he was a fresh face when Illinois was looking for a change from a scandal-plagued Republican incumbent. Blagojevich proved skillful at connecting with voters and throwing mud at his opponents.

He also was a prodigious fundraiser, and when he ran for re-election in 2006, Democratic leaders backed him even though prosecutors said he was under investigation.