This cycle was always going to be about who won the White House. Every four years, the House and Senate contests are going to take a back seat to the race everyone feels like they must participate in.
Republicans werenβt swimming against that tide, but outgoing Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and company had 2024 circled on their calendars as their best chance to regain control of the Senate. They had an opportunity two years ago to chip away at President Joe Bidenβs control of the government and watched it slip through their fingers when a crop of subpar candidates struggled to win competitive races.
This year, the National Republican Senatorial Committee switched up its tactics, recruited new faces, and hit Democrats right where it hurt the most. Downballot candidates were not as successful as Trump, who won all seven swing states compared to the senators who…