The party has its share of good Senate recruits this cycle in targeted Democratic seats: Rep. Kevin Cramer in North Dakota; state Attorney General Josh Hawley in Missouri; Army combat veteran and businessman John James in Michigan; Gov. Rick Scott in Florida. Minimal resistance to their nomination is expected — if any.

But in other promising races, including in states where Trump’s job approval ratings are solid, the field of primary candidates has left some GOP insiders unenthused. Republicans are monitoring primaries in Montana, Ohio, and Wisconsin before passing final judgment; they’re bullish on Indiana regardless, although they describe that more as an “indictment” of vulnerable Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly.

Conditions are even worse in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, two states that have strong concentrations of Trump voters. In Pennsylvania, Republicans have all but written off Rep. Lou Barletta, who is challenging Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and they have a huge problem in West Virginia — one that could put the state out of reach.