I think it was more that the deep state underestimated Trump. They believed their media propaganda would have been sufficient, so the means to cheat en masse weren't in place. Even the touted 'blue wave' in Trump's midterm was still less than the GOP swings of Clinton and Obama's first midterms. Then covid happened, oh so conveniently in an election year, giving the dems all the excuses they need to control the votes. Two years later the 'emergency' was still in place, allowing the cheating to continue.