@adamdavidson I think what's confusing is that dodging a bullet (or in this case many bullets) is a source of relief and an encouraging sign but any sense of hope can only be short lived because the ongoing “bullets” of the larger anti-democratic movement will keep coming.

In short, the incentive structure on the right—with or without Trumpism—will continue to encourage a range of anti-democratic efforts for years (decades?) to come and eventually some "bullets" won't be dodged.