Ultimately, the support for abortion rights brought Democrats many votes and saved them a big defeat. Disgust for election lies seems to have helped too.

But I think Sanders was right nonetheless: Democrats should have campaigned for the progressive economic and environmental policies that most Americans support, as well as abortion rights. With the two, they could have won a substantial victory.

I expect that the progressive Democratic candidates did exactly that, but the plutocratist Democratic candidates didn't dare.