The difference is that they are SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE, as in 50/50 between The Squad and the Old Guard. Republicans are nothing like that, and Trump is not about to let the GOP protect the Democrat Party in keeping them from splitting (assuming that was somehow possible), at least through 2024.
So we may disagree, but I think the Democrat Party will have to deal with this on their own, and it may result in 3 parties for a while - with the Old Guard, now jettisoned of The Squad moving back to try to get a chunk of Trump’s base.
They’re not split down the middle. That was part of the point of the impeachment, to remind them that they have a common enemy. The GOP is probably very much more split, because of the Tea Party, they really spawned a new guys vs old squad mentality. But once all the Tea Party guys got reelected they became old squad, hence why Cruz got killed in the primaries.
The only “help” the GOP will give the Dems, IS RIGHT NOW giving the Dems, is the same protection they give themselves. They have deliberately constructed a system at all levels of government that undercuts any 3rd party’s ability to participate in the government. Any independent that gets elected, assuming they can navigate the hurtles that the parties have built into that process, will quickly find themselves shut out of committees until they pick a party to “caucus” with. If you’re not in committees you can’t get cosponsors, which means you can’t propose legislation, which means you’re marking time. There’s a reason so much of the public believes we have a two party system. We DIDN’T, but the dems and GOP, both upstarts that replaced previous parties, have made it so we do now. All of the rules of Congress, and the state legislatures, were built by these 2 parties to shut out competition. And that’s how it’s going to stay.