The ringer libertarian took the election away from the Conservative Republican. We never learn. Still think a Conservative can win?
Of course a conservative can win. Something like 53% of the voters rejected the Democrat. A candidate that kept the 46% or so who voted for Cuccinelli and added even half of the libertarian voters would have won. And that is possible without becoming some kind of mushy RINO.
It is a lot easier for a Conservative to pick up some libertarians than it is for a RINO to pick up liberals from the Democratic candidate.