“Republicans tasked with taking back the Senate in 2022 are preparing for a contentious primary season, fearful that former President Donald Trump could use his popularity inside the party to back candidates who could struggle in statewide races. Trump has long been drawn to backing candidates who have shown unending allegiance to him and Republican operatives believe that desire, especially after losing the presidential election in 2020, will be unchanged two years later. But the fear among some operatives is that Trump will be even more of a free agent outside of the White House, less willing to bow to pressure that party leaders like Mitch McConnell put on him to back candidates they believed have better chances to win statewide races.”

“Compounding this issue is a Senate map that is shaping up to test the Republican Party. Of the 34 Senate races in the country next year, Republicans will be tasked with defending 20 seats, compared to 14 for Democrats. And of those 20 seats, two will be in states where President Joe Biden won – Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and four will be in traditional battleground states – Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina. Democrats’ most endangered seats will be in Georgia and Arizona, two states where the party won special elections in 2020. The Trump dynamic, operatives said, could play out in very dramatic ways: While the party apparatus may subtly back certain candidates in key Senate primaries, Trump could weigh in to back candidates who have been openly loyal to him, creating a clear rift between party leaders and the former President” – CNN.