I think it mostly has to do with the youth being anti-Israel and the narrative there generally collapsing in the wake of the Gaza campaign.

I think it would not sink them it they simply were pro-Israel… In fact, if they had allowed a few people to be more patently pro-Palestine and has only engaged with pro-Palestine conservatives in a polite, mature way that focused on the debate, they would still be doing somewhat okay, at least better than now, but they went scorched earth, burnt through all their goodwill, and are now running on fumes.