It is tough to run against a charismatic person in the first place. But when that person is a democrat and runs to the right of his party, it is really hard.
Saccone did not run a great race. Does the GOP needs to pick better candidates, surely. But regardless, that candidate must be connected with the voters and not insult them (anti-Union).
But they don't want to.
It helps when the “conservative “ democrat candidate is (deliberately ) permitted to lie about what he will support, and who he will oppose.