How did the Liberals become an afterthought?

On the day Sussan Ley resigned, who would have thought the Liberals would quickly become an afterthought in her seat of Farrer?

Recall the headlines the day after Ley announced she was quitting politics: “Sussan Ley’s parting gift leaves Angus Taylor with messy early hurdle”. “Why the by-election for Ley’s seat will be a test for Taylor”. “Angus Taylor flags housing focus ahead of by-election ‘challenge’”.

These days, hardly anyone seems to think the Liberals will retain the seat they’ve held for 25 years.