Errol Louis : GOP results -- Lhota , in fact , opposed the government shutdown and is pro-same-sex marriage and pro-abortion rights . win in New Jersey , losses in Virginia and New York -- reflect pattern . He says red-meat candidates draw big far-right cheers but turn off independent voters . He says Chris Christie correctly said that GOP wants to win argument but then loses race . Louis also points out that the Republican Party is not as unified as it was a few years ago when Bush won reelection with huge margins.
Errol Louis : GOP results -- win in New Jersey , losses in Virginia and New York -- reflect pattern . He says red-meat candidates draw big far-right cheers but turn off independent voters . He says Chris Christie correctly said that GOP wants to win argument but then loses race . Louis also points out that the Republican Party is not as unified as it was a few years ago when Bush won reelection with huge margins.