It's hard for me to imagine "legitimately raised standards" for the GOP so soon after it became clear that all of their purported standards, in terms of both policy and presentation, didn't exist.
I mean, just look at the saga here in Missouri with Eric Greitens. Even his candidacy was something that seemed impossible before the age of Trump. But, putting that aside, he stayed in power for three months in midst of scandals that would have forced any previous governor to resign. And, in the end, it was a criminal sentence that forced him out: the state legislature was absolutely gridlocked and members of the GOP voter base were torching any reps that dared criticize Greitens and the voters were steadfast in support of him.
No, the GOP has been without actual substance or appreciation for governance since at least the mid-90s and they've only gained power. Dems will bounce back, but the infection has gone septic on the GOP.