Sarah Palin Back in Politics with Alaska Congressional Bid — and Trump's Endorsement in Crowded Race

Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty; Win McNamee/Getty

Sarah Palin is hitting the campaign trail once again — and has already earned an early boost in in a very crowded field from former President Donald Trump.

The ex-Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate-turned-TV personality announced Friday that she is running for Congress. Palin, 58, is one of dozens of candidates hoping to fill the seat held for decades by Rep. Don Young, who died in March.

"Today I'm announcing my candidacy for the U.S. House seat representing Alaska," she said in a statement. "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."

A special primary election for her state's only seat in the House of Representatives is scheduled for June 11, followed by a general election on Aug. 16.

This will be Palin's first bid for office since she left politics in 2009 when she resigned as governor of Alaska; she was previously the mayor of Wasilla. She publicly weighed a run for president in 2012 but decided against it.

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John Minchillo/AP/Shutterstock Sarah Palin outside court for her defamation trial against The New York Times

"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 said Friday.

Trump, 75, endorsed Palin on Sunday, praising her as a longtime backer of his and a "true America First fighter."

"Sarah shocked many when she endorsed me very early in 2016, and we won big," Trump said in a statement. "Now, it's my turn! Sarah has been a champion for Alaska values, Alaska energy, Alaska jobs, and the great people of Alaska."

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"Sarah lifted the McCain presidential campaign out of the dumps despite the fact that she had to endure some very evil, stupid, and jealous people within the campaign itself," Trump continued, taking yet another swipe at the late Sen. John McCain, who tapped Palin to be his running mate in the 2008 presidential election, which he lost to Barack Obama.

More than 100 Republican candidates have been endorsed by Trump, according to CBS News, demonstrating his enduring influence in the party even as he remains deeply divisive nationally and faces scrutiny over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In announcing her candidacy, Palin aligned herself with Trump, who has remained a vocal critic of President Joe Biden and Democrats.

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"America is at a tipping point. As I've watched the far left destroy the country, I knew I had to step in and join the fight," Palin said in her statement. "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."

In a tweet Sunday, she expressed gratitude for the former president's endorsement.

"Thank you President Trump!" she wrote. "Honored to have your support in our campaign for Alaska!"

Palin most recently waged a legal battle against The New York Times over a false column it had published about her. She has also played down reports of a new romance with retired hockey player Ron Duguay.