The American Legislative Exchange Council, a non-partisan organization that promotes effective government at the state legislatures across the US, is working to re-introduce the meaning of the 10th Amendment of the Bill of Rights to all levels of government. This is why Ted Cruz was hitting on the “nullification” of the 17th Amendment, which effectively took to power to nominate and select Senators who would represent the interest of the state away from the state legislature and put it to a popular vote.
There is much to be done, and it may take decades or centuries to undo all the mischief already imposed upon the territory once known as “the United States of America”.
I am not sure what is meant by a ‘soft repeal’ but one such repeal or change to the 17th Amendment would involve allowing state legislatures to recall US Senators and preserve the voters right to vote.
The reasoning is that once a positive right is given, and the right to vote is a positive right, it is not advisable to take a position to repeal such a right. But an amendment to allow state legislatures to recall US Senators would allow the same power to states that the pre-17th Amendment Constitution allowed.
Of course the voters could vote the same US Senators back in but this would compel state legislatures to be more careful in sensing the state voters will before moving to remove a US Senator.
I can only see good in allowing for recall of US Senators.