Bigger L would have been stacking up a few more Senate seats.
I don't think people realize how ugly the Senate picture is looking the next couple of cycles. In 2024 the Dems have to defend 23 senate seats, the Republicans only have to defend 10. Seats the democrats are defending include Joe Manchin in West Virginia as well as seats in Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Maine. Meanwhile, the most flippable seat the Republicans have to defend is.....Texas? Florida?
Being stuck at 50 right now would be terrible, because it basically means that if Joe Manchin doesn't run for reelection (or switches to the Republicans, or loses his election), then the Democrats just about automatically lose the Senate in 2024. Even if they hit 51, that would mean if Manchin leaves then they have to go 8 for 8 in holding onto the battleground states (and will Tester run again in Montana? Could be fukked there too.) Even if they get 51
and Manchin holds his seat, they still can only lose 1 of those 8 battlegrounds.
So it's virtually impossible for the Democrats to pick up Senate seats in 2024, and there's a dozen different combinations that could have them losing the Senate altogether. Which either means total gridlock if Dems still squeak out the White House, or Desantis with Senate power.
2026 isn't much better. Dems have to defend in Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, Georgia, Virginia, and New Hampshire. Republicans have to defend in Montana, Maine, North Carolina....and I guess Iowa? Hopefully 4 more years of demographic shift will make that year a fairer fight, but if they fall behind in 2024 then it will still be a very tough road to get it back in 2026.