“It’s going to be beyond ugly,” said Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin and Marshall College poll, speaking to the tone of the May primary. “I think it’s going to be at a level that’s virtually unprecedented.”…

While contested primaries can sometimes prove beneficial, enabling candidates to hone their message and retail politicking skills, the risk in both Pennsylvania and Kentucky is obvious: The eventual nominees might be too damaged to overcome the expected stiff GOP opposition, and the candidates themselves might find their cash reserves drained and in urgent need of replenishment.

And there is another potential drawback, as well: The primaries could generate plenty of fodder for the other side to use in the fall.