when you consider they still had control of the house and senate, then i say yes they wouldWould we be better off if John Kerry had won in 2004? consider this: Barack Obama would NOT be president right now.
I think a better observation would be that had George Bush lost the 2004 election, the GOP wouldn't be staring into the abyss right now.
the GOP fucked up
they abandoned their core principles and thats why they are out now