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Cities Stocks Weather Movies Coupons Travel Blogs Health Horoscope Maps ASIA EUROPE Classifieds Yellow Pages| Sarah Palin | |
| |
| 11th Governor of Alaska | |
|---|---|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 4 2006 | |
| Lieutenant | Sean Parnell |
| Preceded by | Frank Murkowski |
| Born | February 11 1964 Sandpoint, Idaho |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Todd Palin |
| Profession | Journalist |
| Religion | Protestant |
Sarah Heath Palin (née Sarah Louise Heath, born February 11 1964 in Sandpoint, Idaho) is the current Governor of Alaska. She is the youngest governor in Alaskan history (42 years old upon taking office), as well as the first woman to hold the office in Alaska. In addition to being Alaska\'s first female governor, and its youngest, Palin is also the first who was born after Alaska achieved statehood. She is also the first Alaska governor not to be inaugurated in Juneau, instead choosing to hold her inauguration ceremony in Fairbanks. She took office on Monday, December 4, 2006. Her Lieutenant Governor is Sean Parnell. Palin is the former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.
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Palin\'s husband, Todd, works on the North Slope and is a commercial fisherman. She also has four children: Bristol, Piper, Track, and Willow."About the Governor". Biography. State of Alaska. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. They live in Wasilla, about 40 miles north of Anchorage.Associated Press. "Alaska Gov.\'s Son Enlists in Army", WTOPNews.com, WTOP-FM, September 13, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Palin has been an athlete and a beauty queen. She was the point guard for the Wasilla High School Warriors when they won the state small school basketball championship in 1982.Boese, Chris (December 7 2006). "Sarah Palin\'s inaugural speech sets an interesting tone" (blog). Chris Boese\'s Weblog. serendipit-e.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
In 1984, Palin competed in the Miss Alaska contest after being chosen Miss Wasilla that year.Layne, Ken (December 6 2006). "GILF Update: Gov. Sarah Palin As Miss Wasilla" (blog). Wonkette. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. In the Wasilla contest, she played the flute and also won the title of Miss Congeniality.
Details of Palin\'s personal life have contributed to her political image. She eats moose burgers and rides snowmachines.Arnold, Elizabeth. "Alaska\'s Governor Is Tough, Young — and a Woman", NPR.org, National Public Radio. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. She admits that, when marijuana was legal in the state, she used it; however, she didn\'t like it.Hopkins, Kyle. "Same-sex unions, drugs get little play", Anchorage Daily News, August 6, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Palin\'s education includes a bachelor\'s degree in journalism from the University of Idaho. She briefly worked in the media and utility industry. Palin was named one of Alaska\'s "Top 40 Under 40", Alaska\'s Public Works "Person of the Year", and was recently inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society at Alaska Pacific University. She is also a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.
On September 11 2007, Palin\'s son Track joined the Army. Aged 18 at the time, he is the eldest of her four children and the only son. On March 5 2008, Palin announced that she was seven months pregnant and would be expecting a child in May. She stated that she already knew whether the child was a boy or girl, but declined to make that information public.Quinn, Steve. "Alaska Gov. Palin Expecting 5th Child", Associated Press, March 6, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and became a two-term mayor and manager of Wasilla, one of Alaska\'s fastest-growing communities. She was also elected President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.
In 2002, Palin made a failed bid to become the state\'s lieutenant governor, coming in second place behind Loren Leman in a four-way race, some say due to her inability to raise campaign contributions equal to that of her opponents. After Frank Murkowski became governor, resigning from his long-time U.S. Senate seat, Palin was considered by some to be a candidate for that job; however Murkowski appointed his daughter, then State Representative Lisa Murkowski.
Governor Frank Murkowski appointed Palin to serve as ethics commissioner on the state\'s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission which she served on during 2003–2004, but later resigned, in protest over what she perceived to be the "lack of ethics" of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders. This included the state party\'s chairman, Randy Ruedrich, a fellow commissioner, who was accused of doing work for the party on public time and providing a sensitive email to a lobbyist. (Read more here) She filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former state Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who was eventually found not guilty.
She also served an elected term on the Valley Hospital board.
Governor Palin with Alaska\'s At-large U.S. Representative Don Young
In 2006, Palin won the Republican primary for Governor, defeating then-Gov. Frank Murkowski; she went on to win the general election in November 2006, defeating former Governor Tony Knowles. Palin has said that education, public safety, and transportation will be three focuses of her administration.
She also supports rotating legislative sessions, at least on occasion, out of the state capital, Juneau, and re-establishing the distribution of state wealth — municipal revenue sharing — to help local governments.
In July 2007, Palin was heralded in the media as being the most popular governor in the United States, with an approval rating often in the 90s.Barnes, Fred. "The Most Popular Governor", The Weekly Standard, July 16, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. An August 2007 poll had her approval rating at 84%, with 5% disapproving.McAllister, Bill. "Stevens may have work cut out in reelection", KTUU News, KTUU-TV, August 13 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Shortly after taking office, Palin rescinded the appointment of former chief of staff Jim Clark to the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, reversing an appointment made in the closing days or hours of the prior Administration. "Palin Sacks Murkowski Crony Clark", Alaska Report, December 7 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. He has since pleaded guilty to conspiracy.
In April 2007, Palin announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska. Kizzia, Tom. "State aims to reduce emissions", Anchorage Daily News, April 12 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Recently, she joined efforts to promote an "all-Alaska" natural gas pipeline, which would have been built by a political subdivision of the State. Palin describes an all-Alaska pipeline as the only proposal which brings the maximum benefit to the people, and later softened her stand by claiming she is not opposed to the alternative of running the pipeline through Canada, to the Lower 48, if doing so represents the best deal for Alaska.
In March 2007, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA), legislation crafted as the new legal vehicle to the building a natural gas pipeline from the state\'s North Slope."Governor Palin Unveils the AGIA". News & Announcements. State of Alaska (March 2 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27. Only one legislator (Representative Ralph Samuels) voted against the measure,"Palin to sign gas pipeline plan today". News & Announcements. Alaska Legislature (June 6 2007). Retrieved on 2008-02-26. and in June Palin signed it into law."Gov. Performs Ceremonial Signing of AGIA". News & Announcements. State of Alaska (June 7 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27."Bill History/Action for 25th Legislature: HB 177". BASIS. Alaska State Legislature (June 7 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
On January 5 2008, Gov. Palin announced that a Canadian Company, Transcanda Corp, was the sole AGIA compliant applicant. Despite the fact Transcanada\'s applications includes the suggestion the U.S. Government can act as a "backstop" in the event the gas producers don\'t commit to shipping gas, Alaska still chose to announce the Transcanada Corp proposal as AGIA compliant[1]. [2] Gov. Palin steadfastly refuses to talk to the large producers, instead taking the strategy of using Transcanada as a 3rd party negotiator.[3]
Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life. She opposes same-sex marriage, but has gay friends and has otherwise been receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination.Same-sex unions, drugs get little play, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Aug 2006. While the previous administration did not implement same-sex benefits, Palin followed an Alaska Supreme Court order and signed them into law. McAllister, Bill. "Gay partners of state employees win benefits", KTUU News, KTUU-TV, December 20 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
She supports a democratic advisory vote from the public on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.Demer, Lisa. "Palin to comply on same-sex ruling", Anchorage Daily News, December 21 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. Alaska was one of the first states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii.Vestal, Christine. "Gay marriage decisions ripe in 2 courts", Stateline.org, March 1 2007 (updated September 20 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Palin\'s first veto was used on legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with her attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation."Alaska Gov. Vetoes Bill To Thwart Gay Partner Benefits", 365gay, December 29 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Gov. Palin received widespread criticism for her handling of Matanuska Maid Dairy, a state owned dairy. When the State Dairy Board recommend the closing of the unprofitable state owned business, Palin fired the board and appointed long-time Mat-Su Borough associates to run the board, including influential real estate businesswoman Kristan Cole.Komarnitsky, S. J.. "State board votes to replace Mat Maid CEO", Anchorage Daily News, July 4 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. The new board quickly approved raising the price of milk offered by the dairy in a vain attempt to control hemorrhaging fiscal losses and despite the fact that milk from the state of Washington was already offered in Alaska for much less the Mat Maid milk.Komarnitsky, S. J.. "Creamery Board approves milk price increase for dairy farmers", Anchorage Daily News, July 10 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. In the end the dairy was forced to close and the state tried to sell the assets to pay for its huge debts, but because the initial minimum asking price was set too high no bids were received.Komarnitsky, S. J.. "State to put Mat Maid dairy up for sale", Anchorage Daily News, August 30 2007. "State gets no bids for Matanuska Maid", Anchorage Daily News, December 8 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
In the first days of her administration, Palin tried to follow through on a campaign promise to sell the Westwind II jet purchased by the past administration, on state credit. Since the election the state has put up the jet on eBay three times. In August 2007, the jet was sold."Governor Palin Will Sell Jet". News & Announcements. State of Alaska (December 12 2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
Shortly after becoming governor, Palin canceled an eleven-mile gravel road outside of Juneau to a mine, reversing a decision made in the closing days or hours of the prior Administration.[citation needed]
In June 2007, Palin signed into law the largest operating budget in the state\'s history, $6.6 billion.Shinohara, Rosemary. "No vetoes here", Anchorage Daily News, July 16 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. At the same time, she used her veto power to make the second largest cuts of the construction budget in the state history. The $237 million in cuts represented over 300 local projects and reduced the construction budget to nearly $1.6 billion.[citation needed]
Governor Palin has been mentioned as a viable candidate for the Vice-Presidency to some GOP candidates in the 2008 election.McAllister, Bill. "Top 10 stories of 2007: The rise of Sarah Palin", ktuu.com, December 21 2007. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
"I can\'t imagine anyone that I can think of right now who would be more appealing as a vice presidential candidate," Longtime White House correspondent and Baltimore radio commentator Lester Kinsolving said."What helps her obviously is that she\'s a woman, she\'s attractive, she\'s a conservative, she has a strong record of integrity, she\'s a spending-cutter, she\'s not a tax-raiser, and those things obviously would help," Fred Barnes, a regular on Fox News and co-host of The Beltway Boys.
| 2006 Gubernatorial Election, Alaska | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Sarah Palin | 114,697 | 48.33 | -7.6 | |
| Democratic | Tony Knowles | 97,238 | 40.97 | +0.3 | |
| Independent | Andrew Halcro | 22,443 | 9.46 | n/a | |
| Alaskan Independence | Don Wright | 1,285 | 0.54 | -0.4 | |
| Libertarian | Billy Toien | 682 | 0.29 | -0.2 | |
| Green | David Massie | 593 | 0.25 | -1.0 | |
| Write-ins | 384 | 0.16 | +0.1 | ||
| Majority | 17,459 | 7.36 | |||
| Turnout | 238,307 | 51.1 | |||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
| Alaska Republican Gubernatorial Primary Election, 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Sarah Palin | 51,443 | 50.59 | n/a | |
| Republican | John Binkley | 30,349 | 29.84 | n/a | |
| Republican | Frank Murkowski, Incumbent | 19,412 | 19.09 | n/a | |
| Republican | Merica Hlatcu | 211 | 0.21 | n/a | |
| Republican | Gerald Heikes | 280 | 0.28 | n/a | |
| Majority | 21,094 | 20.75 | n/a | ||
| Turnout | 101,695 | n/a | n/a | ||
| 2002 race for Lieutenant Governor (primary)"State of Alaska Primary Election - August 27, 2002: Official Results". Division of Elections. The Office of Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell (September 18, 2002). Retrieved on 2007-12-27. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Loren Leman | 21,076 | 29% | n/a | |
| Republican | Sarah Palin | 19,114 | 27% | n/a | |
| Republican | Robin Taylor | 16,053 | 22% | n/a | |
| Republican | Gail Phillips | 13,804 | 19% | n/a | |
| Republican | Paul Wieler | 1,777 | 2% | n/a | |
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| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Frank Murkowski | Governor of Alaska 2006 - present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Governors of Alaska | ||
|---|---|---|
| District | Kinkead • Swineford • Knapp • Sheakley • Brady • Hoggatt • Clark |  |
| Territorial | Clark • Strong • Riggs • Bone • Parks • Troy • Gruening • Heintzleman • Hendrickson • Stepovich • Hendrickson | |
| State | Egan • Hickel • Miller • Egan • Hammond • Sheffield • Cowper • Hickel • Knowles • Murkowski • Palin | |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Palin, Sarah Heath |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Heath, Sarah Louise, Palin, Sarah Louise |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 11 1964 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sandpoint, Idaho |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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