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argued that the presence of tea partyers in primaries is forcing all Republican candidates to race to the right. The result is nominees unacceptable in the general election, he said.
• "Primary electorates are so small it essentially encourages the Akin-ization of the entire Republican primary," Cecil said.
• His reference was to Missouri 2012. Republicans were certain they could defeat Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., but their nominee, Rep. Todd Akin, flamed out after saying women's bodies can avoid pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape." McCaskill won re-election by 16 percentage points.
• Georgia rules set the primary for May 20, but if no candidate gets 50 percent, a runoff occurs July 22.
• Several Republicans insist that establishment candidates will eventually prevail and the internal fights won't matter as Democrats struggle with the most contentious issue of the year -- Obama's health care law -- and the political damage from its many problems.
• "I think it may be the most difficult political yoke to carry in the history of American politics," said Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. "Where else do you have something that affects everybody? And health care does."
• Democrats don't dispute that the troubled rollout of the health care website has hurt them.
• "There's no doubt Republicans are a little more gleeful," said John Anzalone, a Democratic pollster and adviser to North Carolina Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, who is seeking a second term. "Who can say with a straight face that this has not been a bad month for Democrats?"
• But Anzalone added: "It's not a permanent thing. This is really about the political environment nationally. It evens out."
• In the North Carolina race, Senate Republicans have been raising money for Thom Tillis, speaker of the state House. Tillis faces challenges from Greg Brannon, a physician who has the backing of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and has been seeking the support of the tea party and Rev. Mark Harris, a Baptist minister who was instrumental in the state fight to ban gay marriage.
• Hagan has struggled to answer for her support for the health care law, and in a clear sign of Democratic concern, the Senate Majority PAC, which backs Democratic candidates, bought $750,000 of television air time in December to counter Republican attacks against her. The group spent hundreds of thousands of dollars more for Hagan earlier in the year.
• North Carolina's primary is May 6 and if no candidate gets 40 percent of the vote, a runoff is set for July 15.

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