Who's been in the White House for years? Seriously though folks... if you'll be dealing with complex problems including environmental and economic onces, the biggest of the next 20 years or more, you need to be able to interact with brilliant people.
On the other hand, it is sometimes said whether in politics or the corporate world, all you have to do is be smart enough to surround yourself with brilliant and loyal people.
As well, if you are thinking of fairly local politics...school bd, city, state/province even, you could campaign on particular issues you know well and which catch voters' imaginations.
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A Parent, old geezer, and occasionally right. Good judgment comes from bad
experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.