There has been no election since at least 1928 that the country was better off because the Democrat lost.
And I say 1928 not because the Republican was better (Al Smith was actually the first time in a while where the Democrat was clearly leagues better), but simply because it was probably necessary for Hoover to f—k up and take all the blame for the Depression for FDR to come in and save the nation.
Given hindsight wouldn’t you say 1976 was a bad election for democrats to lose given what happened in 1980(not only presidential but congress too) and 2004 was good that you lost as well given the 2006 and 2008 landslides vs the possibility of Romney/McCain getting in 2009 with filibuster proof of senate