Call me skeptical. A Senate seat has very little in-state power. The theory is probably valid for governors' races and state legislatures, but not for the U.S. Senate. Success in Senate races is 100% about controlling the federal government.

It doesn't have a lot of in-state power, but it has a lot of power generally. Much more than a House seat. So if a Democrat wins one of those seats in Iowa or Texas, all of a sudden the Democratic party in that state - and the whole Democratic ecosystem - now has something to offer the various stakeholders and businesses and organizations and other groups within the state. Suddenly, a very large number of people and groups now find themselves in a position where they need something from a Texas Democrat in a way they haven't for decades and decades.

We saw this first hand in Florida. As soon as no one needed Democrats anymore, the Democratic party started to shrivel up. No one had to triangulate anymore, no one had to support both parties - or candidates from both parties - because they might need something from a Democratic governor or Senator or one of the chambers. There wasn't even any cover for groups or individuals who wanted to provide some support to the Democratic party, because there was no longer even the excuse that you have to support both sides in order to cover your bases. Once you're a one-party state, supporting the minority party in any fashion has a much more severe political dimension.

If the Democrats can win the Senate seat in Iowa or Texas, that will be a huge resource in building up the party organization's influence and power all across those states. It matters a lot.