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I don't know the specifics of the Hayworth race. I think whatever local factors there were going against him were overshadowed by national concerns, primary Iraq. People were just mad at Bush and since they could not vote against him, they took it out on surrogates, whether those surrogates trashed Bush or not. It was the "R" factor.

As to your other points:

Every single exit poll shows that voters voted against Republicans in this election because (1) the war in Iraq (2) corruption and (3) (in some states) free trade

In my state (OH), these were absolutely, positively true and on the mark. Iraq overlaid all of the political dynamic. The local 'Pubs had a tremendous taint of scandal, from the Governor to Congressmen (Bob Ney taking money from Abramoff), and lower-level bureaucrats lining their pockets with public funds. Finally, the continuing drag of lack of economic growth, partly perceived as the fault of trade agreements that have offshored a lot of the work that used to be done here, also plated a part. So I'd say your three points are three ringers.