“If Palin had finished third, a much larger portion of her votes would have went to Begich.”
This is the way it always works. Conservatives have no place to go but to vote for an assistant democrat. But assistant democrat voters usually flop to the real democrats when push comes to shove.
Of course, the assistant democrats whine hugely if conservatives sit out the race.
So the R party is only a party that gives mutual support to it’s various wings if an acceptable assistant democrat is nominated.
Begich isn’t an “assistant Democrat.” He has a mainstream conservative voting record. These idiotic labels that the Grifter Pundit and other members of the moron class put on people without bothering to check voting records is asinine.
On the issues, Palin and Begich are very, very similar. Take a look a Begich’s voting record and both of their issue positions. They are virtually identical.
Palin quit in the middle of her term, a lot of voters never forgave her for that. Add in the absolute celebrity train-wreck that she’s been involved with during the last 10 years, and it isn’t any surprise that this is the result.
Glen Youngkin is an example of a candidate that successfully unified the party. He got good margins and turnout in Trump country and made inroads in suburban Biden areas.
It doesn’t have to be either/or.