Why did Sarah Palin step down? Former Alaska Governor returns to politics

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is set to run for the state’s only seat in the House of Representatives. The seat fell vacant after the Republican Party's longest-serving Congressman Don Young passed away last month.

Palin took to Twitter to announce her candidacy and said she would be honored to represent the people of Alaska. Her tweet read:

In her announcement, Sarah Palin shared that she is aware of the responsibilities of her candidature and is ready to honor representative Young with her work. She said,

“I realize that I have very big shoes to fill, and I plan to honor Representative Young’s legacy by offering myself up in the name of service to the state he loved and fought for, because I share that passion for Alaska and the United States of America.”

The former Republican Vice Presidential candidate further addressed issues like "out-of-control inflation,” “empty shelves,” and high “gas prices” and criticized her opponents.

She expressed,

“America is at a tipping point. As I've watched the far left destroy the country, I knew I had to step up and join the fight… We need energy security for this country, and Alaska can help provide that – but only if the federal government gets out of the way and lets free market do what it does best.”

Palin also added that she is now part of the race to join other “patriots” to “save the country.” She added,

“I’m in this race to win it and join the fight for freedom alongside other patriots willing to sacrifice all to save our country.”

Sarah Palin’s decision to run for Congress marks her return to politics more than a decade after she resigned from her position as the Governor of Alaska in 2009.

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A look into Sarah Palin’s political career and resignation

Sarah Palin resigned from her position as the Governor of Alaska in 2009 (Image via Cheryl Gerber/Getty Images)

Sarah Palin was first elected to the Wasilla City Council in 1992 before being elected the mayor of Wasilla in 1996. She also ran for re-election in 1999 and defeated incumbent John Stein for the second time. In 1999, Palin was elected President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.

Following an unsuccessful run as lieutenant governor in 2003, Palin was appointed chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Between 2003 and June 2005, the politician served as one of three directors of Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc., a group that provides political training for Republican women in Alaska.

Palin became the Governor of Alaska in 2006 and created history by becoming the youngest individual and the first woman to serve in the position. She gained further recognition on the political scene after appearing as Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s running mate in 2008.

However, the pair lost to Obama-Biden in November of that year and Sarah Palin resigned from her position as the Governor of Alaska in 2009. Speaking to ABC News a few months after her resignation, Palin said she was shocked by the media's response to her decision.

She mentioned that she did not expect her resignation to be a “big deal” and did not know why general people were “confused” about the situation. She said,

“You know why they're confused? I guess they cannot take something nowadays at face value.”

Palin also said that “legal bills” served as a major factor in her decision to resign from the office following the alleged ethical charges from political opponents. She expressed,

“You know, conditions have really changed in Alaska in the political arena since August 29, since I was tapped to run for VP. When that opposition research - those researchers really bombarded Alaska - started digging for dirt and have not let up. They're not gonna find any dirt.”

The former Alaska Governor also talked about the rising expenses on a personal as well as state level. She added,

“We keep proving that every time we win an ethics violation lawsuit, and we've won every one of them. But it has been costing our state millions of dollars. It's cost Todd and me. You know the adversaries would love to see us put on the path of personal bankruptcy so that we can't afford to run.”

Sarah Palin also claimed that her possibility of becoming a “lame duck” after announcing the decision of not seeking a second term as governor also prompted her to file for resignation.

At the time, the politician also mentioned that she was “extremely happy” with her successor, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, and said it was “the right thing for Alaska.”

Following her recent return to politics, Sarah Palin will face strong competition in her latest Congress run. Reports suggest that more than 40 candidates have already filed for the open special election.

The special primary is scheduled to take place on June 11. The four top-voted candidates will then get the chance to advance to the special general election on August 16. The winner will reportedly be determined by ranked-choice voting and will only serve the remaining months of Young’s term.