If Ernst loses in 2020, does she try to make a comeback in 2022

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

It has worked for former statewide officeholders on plenty of occasions. John Thune unseated the Senate majority leader two years after losing his House seat, Mike DeWine made a comeback as governor, etc. This is not even counting candidates who remained row officers after losing a statewide race and went onto win another statewide race (Alison Grimes, probably Matt Rosendale this year, etc.).

All that said, the most prominent recent example if/when Ernst runs again will be McSally and that isn't going to help her at all in the primary, however unfairly any parallels are drawn.