As I see it the 17th did not one whit to end or abate corruption in the selection of Senators. It merely moved the corruption from the election process to the nomination process. In my opinion that makes the situation worse, not better.
We need to repeal 17th amendment and include in the senate a dynamic recall ability. The whole point of the senate is to uses the State politicians desire for power to hold the Federal government in check. Insuring the States remain the primary and most powerful political actor in our federal system.
The advantage of a more powerful state government is simply the fact that we the people can much more easily walk across the boarder.
State’s cant print money, so their taxes must be more or less in the open, furthermore they cant play class warfare because the targeted classes simply leave the state.
Returning our States to the status of primary actor is the way we win the war for small fair government.
Repealing the 17th amendment is a critical long term measure towards that end. It doesn’t really matter if the corruption is in the State legislator process of nominating a senator as long as you can withdraw senators almost a will. The real point is the power interest of the State.