It was Chris Coons, friend of Flake, who got him pulled aside to reconsider.
Chris Coons is in there because idiot voters in Delaware and donors around the country pumped in money to support a terrible candidate known as Christine O'Donnell just because she had a pretty face and parroted the conservative line. Everyone knew she'd get blown away, of course, but she got record donations from around the country. And so, instead of a marginal GOP vote, we got far-left Chris Coons entrenched in that seat.
So not only did we have what would probably have been a YES vote turned into a NO vote, but we had someone who twisted Flake.
Then you have Akin giving the seat to a Dem in 2012.
And, of course, Roy Moore.
I hope this is a reminder to find good candidates, not just go for ideology.