It wasn’t just McSally’s strong résumé that led establishment Republicans like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to regard her as the party’s top recruit in the midterms. It was also her previous criticism of Trump. McSally skipped the 2016 GOP convention and called Trump “unacceptable” and “disgusting” after a video tape emerged of him bragging about sexual assault. She went on to win her district by 14 points the same day Hillary Clinton carried it by 5. In a sense, McSally embodied the fading Republican hope that Trump would not consume the party, and that lawmakers could speak out against the President without paying a price at the polls.

Instead, she may become a cautionary tale. McSally’s lead has softened as right-wing voters have appeared to flee from Arpaio and consolidate around Ward. Seeing her advantage slide, McSally has both lowered her campaign profile and doubled-down on her awkward embrace of Trump. Worried national Republicans are dumping millions of dollars into the state to save McSally’s struggling campaign, knowing her defeat would damage their chances of holding the seat–and the Senate–in November, when moderation can be a good thing.

What the race has already proved is that it may be impossible to stand up to Trump in any meaningful way and remain in good standing with the GOP.