Sarah Palin has received the endorsement of Donald Trump as she attempts a political comeback nearly 14 years after she stood for election as Vice President. 

On Friday she announced she would run for Alaska’s vacant Congressional seat following the death of its long-serving member Don Young. 

On Monday her campaign received a significant boost when former President Trump threw his support behind her candidacy: 

“Sarah shocked many when she endorsed me very early in 2016, and we won big,” Mr Trump wrote.

“Now, it’s my turn! Sarah has been a champion for Alaska values, Alaska energy, Alaska jobs and the great people of Alaska.” 

Thank you President Trump! Honored to have your support in our campaign for Alaska! 🇺🇸https://t.co/CrlfiG8MJn pic.twitter.com/Ne1x7nFcAa

— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) April 4, 2022

From Alaska to Washington?

In 2008 Ms Palin was a first-term Governor of Alaska when she was picked, almost from obscurity, to serve as John McCain’s running mate. 

The Republican ticket lost in a landslide to Barack Obama and Joe Biden but Ms Palin established herself as the firm favourite of the GOP grassroots. 

In 2009 she resigned early as Governor of Alaska and dedicated herself to well-paid media punditry, reality TV and grassroots activism. 

 She toyed with running for President in 2012 but in the end demurred and instead revelled in her role endorsing and campaigning for candidates who shared her right-wing populist ideology. 

In 2016 she became the first serving or former state wide officer holder to back Trump on the grounds he would, “Make America Great Again.” 

Alaska is typically a safe Republican state; Don Young held the Congressional seat for 49 years and the electorate has voted for the Republican candidate at every Presidential election since 1964. 

However, Ms Palin is not considered a shoo in for the seat; one Republican strategist told POLITICO that she was “certainly the favourite, just because everyone knows her.”

However, pollster Ivan Moore of Alaska Survey Research says most locals in the state do not view her favourably: 

“Let’s face it, she has been substantively underwater for many, many years now, and it really dates back to when she quit,” he opined. 

“Alaskans weren’t very impressed with that.”

Main image: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorses Billionaire Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during an event at Iowa State University January 19, 2016 in Ames, Iowa. Picture by Alamy.com