Remember John Glenn? The former astronaut and senator drew huge crowds and intense attention here when he sought the Democratic nomination in 1984 — and got just 4 percent of the vote.
“They were coming out to see John Glenn the astronaut, not John Glenn the Democrat running for president,” said veteran Republican strategist Eric Woolson.
If she runs, Palin would start with strong appeal among the social and religious conservatives who play a crucial role in Iowa’s Republican politics. But that appeal wouldn’t necessarily last if it’s not backed up by a strong effort to reach out to caucus voters, said Steve Scheffler, head of the Iowa Christian Alliance.
“The track to success in Iowa is slogging around all of the small towns in bad weather and sleeping in downscale motels because that’s the best in town,” said Rich Galen, a GOP strategist based in Washington. “That certainly doesn’t seem to fit the Palin theory of how she should conduct her life.”
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