Since you seem to think running actual, non-RINO, Conservatives is a problem, why are you even on this website ?
As for Blackwell, you ignore the fact that he had already won statewide THREE times (1994, 1998 & 2002). You also ignore the RINO establishment HATED him and tried to ramrod their RINO standard-bearer, the ethically challenged Jim Petro. The establishment did NOTHING for him for the general election when he thumped Petro. Bob Taft the Turd crippled the GOP brand thanks to corruption, and sullied Blackwell with it, even though those two might as well have been from two different parties. You also forget that the Democrats hadn’t won the Governorship in TWENTY years at that point, and party fatigue inevitably sets in. And lastly, I believe RACISM played a part. You add up all those things, and you’ll see why Blackwell lost as he did. Of course, the media wouldn’t charge racism, because voting against a Black Republican — a CONSERVATIVE Black Republican — is perfectly fine. But vote against a Marxist Black rodent, and THAT is racism.
I would remind you that Ohio voted for a liberal BLACK president which made it impossible for McCain to win...we all knew on election night after Ohio went that it was over. Not all states can be won by the same tactics...yes it tactical. I don’t care how good the conservative might be, he/she can not win Connecticut, or New Jersey for example...but a GOP candidate with decent conservative values and broad appeal just might.