One thing I find mindbogglingly weird is the number of people who clearly see some very important jobs - mayor of a major city or governor of a major state (cough Christie cough) as simply a stepping stone to greater things. Sure life is long and we are all motivated by concerns a few months off, but I don't know how you can assume that kind of responsibility and then not too long into your run just say "ah, fuck it, who cares, where's my next job?" Especially since I would wager that a pretty good way to enhance your future career chances is to be a good and popular governor, not the most unpopular one in the history of the planet. I know failing upwards
is isn't hard to do in wingnutland, but you probably shouldn't be such a failure.