The attitude towards Trump during the 2016 primary was barely a fraction of what it was during Trump's presidency. Most liberals thought he was a joke and they "lost the plot". The narrative control is much tighter than it was back then, largely because they blame themselves for him winning.
Remember Trump only won like 30-35% of the GOP primary vote anyway, and he lost the 2016 general (plus Seniors abandoning him is a big reason why 2020 went poorly for Trump). I'd imagine the debate spectacle helped with that (no debates in Midterms).
The attitude towards Trump during the 2016 primary was barely a fraction of what it was during Trump's presidency. Most liberals thought he was a joke and they "lost the plot". The narrative control is much tighter than it was back then, largely because they blame themselves for him winning.
Remember Trump only won like 30-35% of the GOP primary vote anyway, and he lost the 2016 general (plus Seniors abandoning him is a big reason why 2020 went poorly for Trump). I'd imagine the debate spectacle helped with that (no debates in Midterms).