Alexander "Alexi" Giannoulias is an American politician who served as Illinois Treasurer from 2007 to 2011. A Democrat, Giannoulias defeated Republican candidate State Senator Christine Radogno in November 2006 with 54 percent of the vote, becoming the first Democrat to hold the office in 12 years and, at the age of 30, the youngest state treasurer in the nation. On July 26, 2009, Giannoulias announced his candidacy in the 2010 election for the seat in the United States Senate held by Roland Burris. Burris, who was appointed by Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill the seat vacated by Barack Obama following Obama's election as President of the United States, chose not to seek election. Giannoulias won the Democratic primary on February 2, 2010, then faced Republican Mark Kirk as well as Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones and Libertarian Michael Labno in the general election in November 2010. Kirk won the election.