The third party isn't "taking my vote away" from the liberal Republican candidate (as if he were entitled to it somehow), it's giving me an opportunity to vote for somebody who actually represents my views when the only other alternative is staying home.
Blaming third parties for their losses is just the RNC's way of failing to own up to the fact that they have consistently been running lousy candidates in the general elections since 1988.
How do you pretend to know that “other 3rd party voters” would stay home or NOT vote Republican, if there were no 3rd party candidate?