SENATE: Ensign Chalks Off Two Of His Senate Prospects...In June.

TPM Election Central has uplifting news for Democrats, and another dollop of grim electoral news for the GOP.

In a rather extraordinary admission, NRSC head John Ensign has already conceded two Republican-held Senate seats to the Democrats--John Warner's seat in Virginia, and Pete Domenici's seat in New Mexico.

The money quote, and some analysis, on the flip.

Ensign, being interviewed at a Christian Science Monitor forum (the same one where he said losing a net of three seats would be a VICTORY for the GOP), was asked point blank about the level of support he would be giving to GOP nominees Jim Gilmore (VA) and Steven Pearce (NM).

The response?

"You don't waste money on races that don't need it or you can't win."

Ruh-roh, Republicans....

On the surface, this seems to be shrewd politics. In most public polling, Gilmore has trailed Virginia Democrat Mark Warner by between 15-20 points. Meanwhile, the New Mexico race seemed competitive for a short while, but recent polling has Democrat Tom Udall winning the state by a wide margin.

But, there is still something extraordinary about Ensign's very blunt public admission of this concession. ESPECIALLY so far out from Election Day.

Say what you will about their liabilities (and there are many), but Jim Gilmore and Steve Pearce are NOT novelty candidates like that guy the GOP is running up in Montana. One is a former Governor, the other a Congressman routinely elected with 58% or more of the vote. You would think that they might merit at least a "we are committed to victory all over the country", or some other innocuous and vague statement of support.

I think this is evidence of the frustration the GOP leadership must be feeling. By and large, they cannot recruit great candidates. Their name brand is so flawed right now, that even their strong recruits look weak in the polls. I think tempers are more than a little short.

It is up to the Democrats to keep applying the pressure. This can be an enormous wave election, one which impacts the elections for President, the House, the Senate, and the state legislatures.

But it is not going to happen by itself. The Democrats need to keep working hard to define their opposition, starting with the Republican presidential nominee.

It is heartening to see, however, that the GOP is clearly in political triage mode at this point.