Two words. Immigration Reform. That is what cost the GOP in 2006 (because our base, rightly or short-sighted stayed home). Furthermore it was an issue Rove did NOT agree with President GWB on...and told him so. But you serve at the pleasure of the POTUS.
Rove did just fine in 2000, 2002 and 2004. Show me Palin having a better record than that....She won a Governorship (and couldn't last) in a RED of an as RED State as one can get...
The Iraq war, or, more specifically, the desire to stay in Iraq after we accomplished our objectives, is what had Bush’s popularity under 30% in 2006.
Rove and the neocons did not make things better for Bush in 2006 or 2008.
Go Palin!