All this raises uncomfortable questions for Republicans on why their own party isn’t working more aggressively to combat Democrats’ meddling. Both the RGA and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have pledged to stay out of contested primaries without a GOP incumbent, regardless of the circumstances. Yet the RGA spent $5 million to boost Gov. Brian Kemp against his Trump-endorsed challenger David Perdue, and Kemp’s landslide win served as a powerful reminder of what can happen when the party works to bolster its most electable candidate. The RGA also spent money on behalf of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Idaho Gov. Brad Little, who faced right-wing challengers in their races.

GOP party committees generally believe that picking favorites in open primaries—or even opposing extreme candidates—sets a bad precedent. NRSC Chair Rick Scott regularly talks about how he was initially opposed by Florida’s party establishment and went on to win two terms as governor and a critical 2018 Senate race. The governors who make up the RGA leadership, led by Arizona’s Doug Ducey, are similarly wary of outside groups from Washington intervening and needlessly alienating candidates.

But given that the RGA has yet to back the party’s own nominee for governor in Pennsylvania, you’d think it would’ve been useful to have gotten involved at some point. If Hanks wins the Colorado Senate primary, it would all but take a winnable race off the board for the GOP, an outcome at odds with the NRSC’s mission to win back the Senate majority.