Sarah Palin American politician who served as governor of Alaska (2006–09) and was selected by Sen. John McCain to serve as his vice presidential running mate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. She was the first woman to appear on a Republican presidential ticket. For coverage of the 2008 election, see United States Presidential Election of 2008.

Early Career

After graduation, Palin worked as a sportscaster for KTUU-TV and KTVA-TV in Anchorage and as a sports reporter for the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, fulfilling an early ambition.

Health Care

Palin opposed the 2010 health care reform package, saying it would lead to rationing of health care by a bureaucracy, which she described using the term "death panels". This legislation is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as modified by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. She also opposes abortion, including in cases of rape, incest, and embryonic stem cell research, but supports it if the mother's life is in jeopardy. She supports parental consent as a requirement for female minors seeking an abortion.

Social Issues

Palin opposes same-sex marriage and supports capital punishment. She has also called marijuana use a "minimal issue" and suggested that arresting cannabis users should be a low priority for local police. Although she opposes full legalization, she admits to smoking marijuana recreationally when it was legal in Alaska.

Education

Palin supports sex education in public schools that encourages sexual abstinence along with teaching about contraception. She also supports discussion of creationism during lessons on evolution in public schools. Palin believes evolution "should be taught as an accepted principle" and said that her belief in God's role in Earth's creation "is not part of the state policy or a local curriculum in a school district. Science should be taught in science class." (See Creation–evolution controversy.)

Guns

A Life Member of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), Palin interprets the Second Amendment as including the right to handgun possession and opposes bans on semi-automatic assault weapons. She supports gun safety education for youth.

Personal Life

In August 1988, Palin eloped with Todd Palin, her high-school sweetheart, and together they have five children: sons Track Charles James (born 1989) and Trig Paxson Van (born 2008), and daughters Bristol Sheeran Marie (born 1990), Willow Bianca Faye (born 1994), and Piper Indy Grace (born 2001). Palin's youngest child, Trig, born 2008, was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Palin has eight grandchildren, three by Bristol, two by Track and three by Willow. Todd Palin worked for oil company BP as an oil-field production operator, retiring in 2009. He owns a commercial fishing business.

Palin was "baptized Catholic as a newborn", as her mother, Sally, had been raised Catholic. However, the Heath family "started going to non-denominational churches" thereafter. Later, her family joined the Wasilla Assembly of God, a Pentecostal church, which she attended until 2002. Palin then switched to the Wasilla Bible Church. Several news reports posted immediately after McCain named her his running mate called her the first Pentecostal/charismatic believer to appear on a major-party ticket. However, Palin herself eschews the "Pentecostal" or "charismatic" label, describing herself as a "Bible-believing Christian".

Todd filed for divorce from Sarah on August 29, 2019, citing "incompatibility of temperament". He requested an equal division of debts and assets, and to have joint custody of their son, Trig. The divorce was finalized on March 23, 2020.