How do you campaign from a standpoint of "the economy is actually in a very good place?" While every Joe citizen is saying, "yeah, but eggs are still so expensive." Clearly, people feel/ felt like the economy is not great even as they buy trucks, take vacations and go out to eat regularly.
The Dems needed to hammer at the narrative of the economy being terrible. Although, as I've said in other threads, I'm not sure how that message would've gotten to the people that need to hear it in the current media landscape.