Sarah Louise Heath Palin (IPA: /peɪlɪn/; born February 11, 1964) is the current Governor of Alaska, and the presumptive 2008 Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States.
Palin was elected Governor of Alaska in 2006 after defeating incumbent governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary and former Democratic Alaskan governor Tony Knowles in the general election. She gained attention for publicizing ethical violations by state Republican Party leaders.[2] Before becoming governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla, Alaska, City Council from 1992 to 1996, was elected mayor of Wasilla (population 5,470 in 2000) in 1996, and ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 2002. She is the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing the Republican Party and the second female vice-presidential candidate representing a major political party; the first was Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. She is also the first politician from Alaska to run on a national ticket in a campaign for President or Vice President.