Sarah Palin is back in politics.
The former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee filed papers Friday to run for the state’s only House seat, recently held by Rep. Don Young, who died March 18.
“Today, I’m announcing my candidacy for the U.S. House seat representing Alaska,” she said in a statement shared with Secrets on Friday night.
“Public service is a calling, and I would be honored to represent the men and women of Alaska in Congress, just as Rep. Young did for 49 years. I realize that I have very big shoes to fill, and I plan to honor Rep. 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,” added the popular Republican.
Young was the longest-serving House Republican in history.
Palin, 58, joined the race for a planned special House election just before the filing deadline closed. There are about 40 other applicants in the race.
A top Republican political adviser said, “She has 100% name recognition. She should do well in the election.”
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has set the special election’s primary for June 11 and the general election for Aug. 16.
In the statement, she said, “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. The people of the great state of Alaska, like others all over the country, are struggling with out-of-control inflation, empty shelves, and gas prices that are among the highest in the world. 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 the free market do what it does best.
“At this critical time in our nation’s history, we need leaders who will combat the Left’s socialist, big-government, America-last agenda,” she continued. “This country was built by heroes, and the radical Left dishonors their legacies by opening our borders to illegal immigrants, mortgaging our children’s future, and selling out our nation’s interests to the highest bidder.
“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,” Palin concluded.
So far, she only has a fundraising website.
Palin still lives in Wasilla, where she filed her candidacy papers.
She was recently in headlines fighting the New York Times in a libel case that was eventually dismissed by a judge. Palin claimed the newspaper damaged her reputation with an editorial falsely linking her campaign rhetoric to a mass shooting.
