>> Dole changed her mind and decided at the last minute that she really didn't want to run, so she threw the election. That, and anyone with a (D) next to their name got elected in 2008. <<
I would argue the race was Dole's to lose and she lost it. She was a well-known, powerful incumbent holding office in a state that is very GOP friendly on the federal level (North Carolina). Numerous other GOP incumbents in Bush states held onto to seats in 2008... Pat Roberts, Mitch McConnell, Thad Cochran, Saxby Chambliss, Lamar! Alexander, Mike Enzi, Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn, and Jim Inhofe. (plus RINO Susan Collins easily won re-election as Obama carried her home state comfortably) We also won open Senate races with Jim Risch, Roger Wicker, Mike Johanns, and John Barrasso.
The GOP establishment loves to demonize conservative insurgents for shooting themselves in the foot and losing races that they should have won (Mourdock, Akin, etc.), but they will NEVER accept blame when one of their own steps in it.
I think the final nail in the coffin was when Dole ran the "Godless" ad against then-unknown Kay Hagan and it backfired. The media had a field day criticizing Dole for using a Hagan sound-alike to say "There is no God!" in the ad, and her approval ratings plunged. Losing an obscure RAT state legislator in North Carolina was really pathetic.
Liddy Dole’s “godless ad” came very late in the race, Hagen was already leading in the polls. It certainly didn’t help though.
Horrible campaign by Dole.