Yes, he was. At the local level it makes a difference in some towns. In my Town, where I am the executive director of the Conservative Committee, the Conservative endorsement for local elections gives Republican candidates the advantage (and keeps them in line if they are elected).
Sounds like the CP then has more of a kingmaker/spoiler role. Have any of their candidates actually won significant offices in the State? IIRC when Buckley ran for Mayor of NYC the joke he told was that if he won the election the first thing he would do was demand a recount.