Are you sure? Reagan followed his 1968 presidential campaign with a 1976 campaign that almost stole the nomination from vice-president Ford.
The voting went into the night and Reagan narrowly missed.
Yes, quite sure. Since his two terms as Governor was to end in 1974, the next logical step was to run for Senator against Cranston, which would place him in DC. He could run for President later while in the Senate if he so chose to, and would have the added experience of legislative service. I believe this was his plan in 1972. Unfortunately, with Watergate brewing, his plans changed and polling indicated because of the pro-Democrat winds that he would lose if he ran against Cranston, he opted not to do so. If he had run and lost against Cranston, it would’ve damaged his future viability for President in 1976 or 1980.
The point I was making is that Palin could run for the Senate, as Reagan was planning to do, though if she were to lose against Begich, it would damage her viability for a future Presidential run (as Reagan surmised). She’d probably win, since Begich isn’t popular. But the downside is that she’d also get bogged down in Senate politics, tie her to DC dysfunction, and it would drastically curtail her ability to function as an outsider without portfolio.
I was making the argument that the Senate is really beneath her at this point in time, especially if she is to run in ‘16. At the present time, too, I find myself leaning heavily to Sen. Cruz for President, as he is exhibiting singular leadership in that statist and dysfunctional body, far and above almost any other politician at present, including Governors.