Sarah Palin ended all speculation this evening and announced she was not going to run for president, and would not launch a third party bid.
“After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States,” Palin wrote in a letter to supporters. “As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order. ”
In an appearance on Mark Levin’s radio show (some audio here), Palin also ruled out talk of her running as a third party candidate.
“I would assume a third party would just guarantee Obama’s reelection, and that’s the last thing that our republic can afford,” she said. “So the consideration is not there for a third party, no.”
Palin said that she would continue to work to elect candidates who reflected her values, and that not being a candidate would leave her free to call out both parties.
