That might have not happened if we hadn’t passed the 17th Amendment and turned Senators into publicity seeking political careerists. In the older system States through their appointed senators would not have wanted to give up their power & influence. One the 17th was passed the state as an institution could be ignored. After the 17th a senator was now nothing more than just a congressman-at-large. The state corporately meant nothing it was just a corral to keep voters in.
I wish I still had this but some FReeper researched and show that prior to the passage of the 17th Amendment there were very few multiterm senators. Probably the reason being that state legislators saw themselves eventually in that seat as did other state grandees, so there was state internal competition.
Excellent point and analysis. Well done!
Subordination of the States was inherent in the Constitution as George Mason and Patrick Henry warned. Lincoln made this total. The 17th Amendment contributed but wasn’t the cause