I think it was mainly due to the candidates themselves. The three credible candidates were all problematic. Cash could not raise money (ironically) and had lost a congressional race. Bright had a state legislator position, but unlike McDaniel, screwed up his finances and made some statements that were ill-advised. Mace was billed as the big cahuna (everyone wanted her to run because of her high name ID as the first female citadel graduate), but she stumbled out of the gate had really dismal interviews, was just not ready for primetime.
Unity would have helped, but you really need an ideal candidate or ideal conditions to win. The candidate was gold in Mississippi. The conditions were gold in Virginia. Dave Brat had no help even from national Tea groups, but Cantor was so out of touch, that the genial Brat trounced him.
Neither the conditions nor the candidates were good enough in SC this year unfortunately.
Good analysis. Thanks.
Here in Colo. the two Republicans (Gardner and Buck)running for US Senate got together and decided who would be best to go up against RAT Udall. They did the right thing and Gardner should beat Udall. Buck is running for the US House and will also beat the RAT in that race.