"With the US House so close, I think we should try to keep as many of the good guys in the House rather than encouraging them to dream of being Governor. I think the issue is structural and the difference b/w state and federal politics. I just think that congresman to governor is an awkward leap."
I've never done a comparison to see about the ratio of successful former Congressmen elected Governor vs. Attorneys-General. You are right about the awkwardness of the jump. It's one thing if they previously served in a state legislative capacity, jumped to Congress, and then to Governor (albeit even with that, you've got to get back in the hang of dealing with mighty parochial state issues). Some of these Congressmen, though, subscribe to term limits, another reason why they're looking for another job. I think term limits has backfired on us a bit, because we lost several good people in the '90s that were replaced by the very people that represented everything that was wrong with Washington (meaning 'Rats).
"There is also the guy from Nebraska a few years ago, Jon Christensen, who also ran and fell short. Wes Watkins in Oklahoma also ran numerous times, as a D and as an I. He never made it, eventually returning to the US House as an R."
Christensen probably would've won had he not shot himself in the foot in the primary with misleading accusations against Mike Johanns. Watkins was similarly too Conservative to win as a 'Rat, and his running in '94 enabled a victory by Frank Keating. I frankly would've rather see Watkins run for Govenor as an "R" last year then Largent. He probably would've won this time.