The only GOP nominee who didn’t hold high office was Wendell Wilkie in 1940.
And Publisher Frank Knox in 1936, I believe, was our only Vice Presidential nominee who hadn’t held high office (he was Navy Secretary after the election).
I think Carson is getting so much attention because of the scarcity of quality GOP candidates. It makes more sense to make him HHS Secretary.
We have a genius and a firebrand in Ted Cruz and a lady who has proven she’s on our side in Sarah Palin.