That would change only slightly if state legislatures picked senators.
Before the 17th Amendment, the two senators from California were known as the "senators from the Southern Pacific." From Montana, they were "the senators from Anaconda Copper." From Pennsylvania, they were "the senators from King Coal." From the South, they were "the senators from King Cotton."
In politics, officials always find a way to grab a piece of all the money that is floating around. Politicians remind me of ants. Try to keep ants away from the cookies you just baked, and they always find a crack in the wall from which to send their foraging parties.
Put the state legislatures back into the mix, and the K Street boys will simply start fifty K Streets to do the same thing. Not a damn thing will change.
I’ll settle for senators from coal, copper, cotton, pork bellies or double runionated tooter-redurkers rather than senators from NARAL and SEIU.