This is the "I need more time with the family" excuse.

Is this a canary in the coal mine?

Did MTG see some polling in her own district that spooked her?

You run for higher office from a position of power: Congressional seat, governor's mansion, Senate seat.

Not from a position from which you stepped down.

The canary in the coal mine.

#6 #7 Thanks. Good food for thought. Much appreciated.

#7 My nephew was interested in pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, preferably in front of a camera.

When he found out that, across this great land, there are just a small number of on-air sports broadcasters in the smaller markets, and an even smaller number in the mid- to large-sized television markets, he changed majors.

He ended up pursuing a career behind the camera, instead.

MTG may have national political aspirations, but the field is narrow, very, very narrow.

And, national political aspirations allow for the most minimum of mistakes along the way to be successful.

Which is why, nationally, the number of positions to which someone may aspire is small, and the number of successful candidates along the way even smaller.

Very small.

#11 Orville Redenbacher and I are sympatico with you, vis-a-vis stocking up on popcorn.

Plus, we're pulling an extra tug on our seatbelts... rough seas and potholes and wind shear ahead.

#12 Not very likely, but one can always dream! :-) Feeling a bit Don Quijote these days, Laura.