The more you look at the recent midterm election, the more the crazy quilt makes sense. While fundamentals worked against Democrats — a president with low ratings and an uncertain economy with high inflation — one thing that didn’t work against them was the alternative. 

This year’s election was not a referendum on President Joe Biden. Had it been, Republicans would have done much better. Instead, it was a choice between Team Biden versus Team Trump, a dynamic that didn’t strengthen Democrats but did weaken Republicans. 
Exit polling shows that 44% of those who voted approved of Biden’s job performance and 55% disapproved — that’s not good. But Trump’s ratings were even worse, at 39% favorable and 58% unfavorable.