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.
OK, between his governorship in 1974, an his almost being president in 1976.
Ronald Reagan could have been Senator if he had desired it.
“Begich isn’t popular.”
Not much polling data out there about Begich since 2011, except for feb. 2013 PPP numbers that show him at 49% approve and 39% disapprove. His numbers tanked in 2010, like most dems, but are up now. Sarah would have an uphill fight to take that seat.
DJ, if the U.S. Senate is “beneath her at this point, “ then Governor Palin is in a quandary, because the presidency appears to be unattainable unless she takes on another office and proves her competence. She was governor of Alaska for, what, 3 years? And she would have last served in office, whether elected or alpointed, 7 years before the 2016 presidential elections, without even running for office in the interim. If she wants to be president someday—and she’s certainly young enough to wait until 2020 or 2024—she needs to do something other than talk on TV, send Tweets and campaign for a few Republican candidates. Dan Quayle, who had loads of more experience than she did, failed to run for governor or Senator in Indiana or Arizona after Bush-Quayle list reelection in 1992, and when he ran for president in the 2000 cycle he had become a has-been, overtaken by newbies such as George W. Bush who won two gubernatorial elections during Quayle’s political hiatus. Palin took 4 years off to make some money, and it’s her right to do so, but if she wants to run for lresident she’s gonna need some more experience than “I was elected governor of a small state a decade ago, and served for 3 years.”
As for Governor Parnell, he has already said that he’s running for reelection in 2014. The Lt. Gov. (Treadwell?) is thinking about running against Senator Begich. I hope that the Lt. Gov. runs, because, as impressive as Joe Miller is on paper, Miller has proven that he’s a terrible general-election candidate.