Your first mistake is to refer to Republicans as a monolithic whole, with the same goal in mind. There are those who believe that Rove, the GOPe, and Bill Bolling, lt governor who was POd that Ken got the nod instead of him, actively worked to aid McAuliffe to victory.
No. Yes, cooch was out of the establishment. But thats not where the Margin was.
You know it.
The margin was the libertarian, and it’s been a common refrain for several cycles.