I think your analysis is correct.
It’s the only thing that makes sense.
They gave zero to Sharon Angle, she lost to Dingy Harry.
They gave zero to Christine O’Donnell and she lost to somebody.
They gave zero to Todd Akin, he lost.
They gave zero to Richard Mourdock and he lost.
They gave zero to Joe Miller and he lost to a write-in candidate that he defeated in the Primary.
(There are others, these were off the top of my head.)
Now they’re sitting back and declaring, “Look, see? TEA Party candidates are a bunch of losers!”