Too soon to say. The thing is that the Dems needed to do something to shore up their own support. Not impeaching him was going to look like cowardice.
It was already beginning to look like cowardice. That plus the fact of the 25 July phone call made it virtually impossible not to start impeachment proceedings. If they weren't going to impeach for something as blatant as that, what would they impeach for?
He won't be impeached
Pedantry alert: he has been impeached. What hasn't happened (and what won't happen) is conviction in the Senate.
but damage might still be done dependent on the process and whether some Reps support some Dem demands.
Also it's important how any approach Trump takes to the hearing plays with the floating voters.
Nobody's mind is going to be changed by anything that happens from now on. Pretty much everybody who isn't a registered Republican (and some who are) knows he's corrupt and incompetent. The Republicans who support him are caught in a web of cult behaviour and confirmation bias. What natters is who is going to be able to persuade the most voters to go out and vote at the general election.
