Yes, she lost as the VP nominee in 2008 (mostly due to Team McCain and Obamamania) but what other loss has she experienced?
["In 2002, Palin ran for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, coming in second to Loren Leman in a five-way Republican primary.
[67] Following her defeat, she campaigned throughout the state for the nominated Republican governor-lieutenant governor ticket of Frank Murkowski and Leman.
[68] Murkowski and Leman won, Murkowski resigned from his long-held U.S. Senate seat in December 2002 to assume the governorship.
Palin was said to be on the "short list" of possible appointees to Murkowski's U.S. Senate seat,[68] but Murkowski ultimately appointed his daughter, State Representative Lisa Murkowski, as his successor in the Senate.[69"]
This explains her reason for political "pay-back" against the Murkowski's. It also explains her animosity towards the Republican establishment in Alaska and why she went after Republicans and sided in a joint effort with Democrats to take down those who she saw as her enemies. (Her own Party)