Indeed, the VAGOP is feckless in the extreme, hence reflecting the national GOP. Both are filled with officials and members who simply do not agree with Constitutional orthodoxy, or at the very least are embarrassed by it and thus will not articulate it. Combine this with the extraordinary change in VA state demographics means that I do not expect to see a GOP candidate (much less conservative) win a state wide election in my lifetime. I further expect the CPVA to gain control of the state senate within another election or two, although the GOP may hold to the house of delegates for another generation.
Northam is simply living out what he has always believed. In the aggregate VA voters are like most voters; idiots.