Most surprising result to me: all that outside spending from the billionaires, in some instance > 200:1, did not save those candidates. The voters spoke, loudly, above the din of the ads. Advertising is far less effective during a real economic meltdown when people cannot be distracted by hate campaigns.
Refreshing. It was an entirely legal and democratic coup; exactly what the Founders wanted.
I hope it helps reset our politics. It is very healthy that the biggest Democratic overperformance came in the heart of Republican territory: rural, white, Christian, blue collar. Straight white conservative males are not the enemy, they are a voting bloc which will, under these circumstances, behave as rational actors and reject the status quo. They are the people most betrayed by the Republicans, economically. State and local Democratic parties in the South have their best positioning since the 1950s to begin to build power bases that will end generational one party Republican rule down there.
Likewise the improvement of the DSA will help breath new life into democratic strongholds and prevent the type of entrenched do-nothing, donor-captured tenures we have seen in the last few decades, particularly among party leaders. Democratic politics will become more interesting and real issues will be debated. Left policies won't be outside the Overton Window. But they can't just be a braying of "defund the police!" They will have to be shaped smartly and have focused scope.
The whole experience was substantive. This was not run as WOMEN! or PEOPLE OF COLOR! or any other au current favorite group. The Dems didn't run as us vs them, they ran as we're all in it together, and it resonated. The Republicans ran as us vs them; they are evil!!1!, and they were soundly rejected.
So. Learn.