There is a second reason why Democrats lost. It is because the left campus fringe became Anti-free speech with their cancel disinvitation culture, safe space, trigger warning, microaggression, and Antifa riots by fascist means.
Yep the right might ban books and history but their cult leader can say anything he wants. The right became the free speech party. The Dems sounded like snowflakes.
The right might not like totalitarianism as much as they thought but remember they like their own speech, they just don't like your speech.

I had a constant critic that sometimes had a well reasoned argument but often devolved to simple name calling. On numerous occasions, I notified moderators to NOT BAN HIS FREE SPEECH. Alas it did not come to pass.