Writing off a district may make administrative sense at close range. Zoom out, though, and you see it’s the result of dangerous disorganization and disunity.

While Rep. Abden Simmons’ recent win was certainly a good sign for the party, a loss under such unusual circumstances would have been apocalyptically awful.

If Republicans got the House majority, their own ineptitude – combined with Democratic unity and ideological cohesion – could still cost them the gavel.