“There are two ways to run for office—scared or unopposed” (political adage)

Politicians usually take all opponents seriously—or, at least, they usually say that they do, even if an election is sure to be a lopsided victory. “There are two ways to run for office—scared or unopposed” is an old political adage of uncertain origin. John Glenn, while running for re-election as the U.S. Senator from Ohio, said in 1980 that there were two ways to run for political office:
 
“One is unopposed and the other is scared. I have opposition.”
 
     
16 September 1980, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), “A quiet campaign pits Betts, Glenn; both going all-out,” pg. 7-A, col. 1:
COLUMBUS (AP)—John H. Glenn won his U.S. Senate seat by more than a million votes six years ago, but he’s not taking lightly his chances for re-election Nov. 4.
(...)
Glenn says there are only two ways to run for office.
 
“One is unopposed and the other is scared. I have opposition,” he said.
 
Google Books
Collision:
How the Rank and File Took Back the Teamsters
By Kenneth C. Crowe
New York, NY: Scribner’s
1993
Pg. 175:
At the outset of the campaign to gather the signatures at the end of May 1990, Burke, in his down-home style, told Carey, “Ron, the old saying is there are only two ways to run for office. Either run unopposed or hard and scared. We got to run hard.”
 
5 October 1995, The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), “Challenger sparks hostility: Republican Ian Hunter is running against Democrat Sam Roberts, who has hel the seat for six years” by Mike McAndrew, City sec. pg. 3, col. 4:
As for Roberts’ approach to this campaign, the legislator said there are only two ways to run for public office: unopposed or scared.
 
Google Books
The U.S. Congress:
A Very Short Introduction
By Donald A. Ritchie
New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.
2010
Pg. 28:
Incumbents say that there are only two ways to run for reelection: scared, or unopposed.
   
Twitter
AU College Democrats
‏@AUCollegeDems
There’s two ways to run a campaign: scared or unopposed. I’m going to be opposed - Jim Himes @jahimes #aucdhimes http://twitpic.com/40l3b9
7:52 PM - 16 Feb 2011
 
Twitter
Lisa Villa
‏@replisavilla
My friend told me “if you are running for office there are only two ways to run, unopposed or scared.” I guess I’m running scared. #FTW
8:59 AM - 19 Oct 2012
 
WAPT (Jackson, MS)
Barbour opens up to 16 WAPT’s Bert Case
Former Mississippi governor sits down for no-holds-barred interview
By Bert Case
UPDATED 10:00 PM CDT May 19, 2014
RIDGELAND, Miss. —16 WAPT’s Bert Case sits down for a no-holds-barred, one-on-one interview with former Gov. Haley Barbour.
(...)
“In politics there is an old adage: There are two ways to run: Scared or unopposed,” Barbour said.