After enduring several years of having to govern, not his natural aptitude, why would he throw away the opportunity to campaign, which he clearly relishes?

Because he’d be convinced he’d lose? Short of a Mueller catastrophe, this doesn’t seem very likely. Remember: All sorts of people tried to convince him he’d lose last time, and they were all wrong. Having won the presidency once polling at a little over 40 percent in the Real Clear Politics average, he’d surely figure that he could do it again.

For any president, winning a second term is the highest validation. Trump, so sensitive to status, must feel this imperative more than most. There’d be no better way to own the libs.