GOP insiders fear North Carolina and Georgia are slipping away. A Democrat's advice to his own party: September polls aren't November votes.

CNN reports that some Republicans are growing worried that two Senate races they once saw as critical to holding their majority are slipping away, based on more than a dozen interviews with campaign officials, senators and operatives. In North Carolina, Michael Whatley trails former Gov. Roy Cooper for the seat Sen. Thom Tillis is leaving, and the GOP super PAC Old North Action trimmed its ad reservations there by about a third last week. In Georgia, Rep. Mike Collins is behind Sen. Jon Ossoff. "You spend the money where we get Republicans elected," Tillis said. A North Carolina Republican strategist, speaking anonymously, was blunter: "I don't know what the path is for Michael." Party officials insist they aren't walking away, and Whatley says he feels "very comfortable" he'll have the money he needs. Meanwhile, Republicans are putting well over $100 million into Texas. "There are headwinds we are facing in all the races around the country," said Majority Leader John Thune. Credit where it's due: Tillis is saying out loud what strategists usually whisper, and putting donors' money where it can win is honest stewardship. Now a word to my own party. Democrats still need four flips to take the Senate. North Carolina would be one. Georgia is a seat they already hold, so keeping it only keeps them even. Reading about the other side's troubles is fun. Winning three more races is work. My test is simple: talk less about their map and more about our plan.