>--if Trump doesn't get the nod, there is still a chance he would run as independent (assuming that he even really wants to be president)
>
>I could be wrong and he really thinks he would make a good president. But I think I know why he runs........ego and the opportunity to spout.
>
>I don't think he'll pull a Monte Brewster ("This was all a big joke") but my nightmare vision s that he actually wins and pulls a Robert Redford ("What do I do now" - The Candidate)

A friend of mine chaired the political science dept at a large northeastern university.
The school was situated in a congressional district that had NEVER had a democratic congressman.
NEVER.
As an exercise my friend, a Kennedy Democrat, ran a lab for his students every two years where they'd select the democratic candidate, plan the campaign, ring doorbells, etc.
Of course they never came close to winning.
Until Watergate...
Their guy won.
"What do I do now?"
My friend took a leave of absence to help the congressman set up his office, hire staff, get briefed on the issues, etc.
The congressman served with distinction for 3 terms and returned home voluntarily to resume his career. The district is solidly republican again.

It can work. The quality of the person is a lot more important than experience.