The GOP roster is filled with Trump-endorsed celebrities who’ve never run political campaigns — former NFL star Herschel Walker in Georgia, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania and best-selling author J.D. Vance in Ohio.

Driving the news: The winner in this week’s Arizona’s GOP contest, Blake Masters — a venture capitalist who ran an unconventional primary comparing his candidacy to a tech startup — has resisted hiring political strategists to help tailor his message for a general election, according to Republican sources familiar with his campaign.

Why it matters: Despite a favorable political environment for Republicans, these nominees are trailing in recent public polls.

Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R-Ky.) acknowledged the lowered expectations days ago in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier: “I think when this Senate race smoke clears, we’re likely to have a very, very close Senate still, with us up slightly or the Democrats up slightly.”