I'm confused about how your post relates to my suggestion that George Allen would make a good candidate.
Reagan criss-crossed the country for years, doing the chicken dinner circuit. He'd give his standard conservative speech, small govt., morning in America, etc. to small town audiences. Nobody paid attention except conservatives, and they loved him, believed in him. He built a base. What you saw is what you got. He was real. Honest. He was on a mission, God love him. We were so lucky.
It doesn't, sorry. I was responding to the overall article.