Sarah Palin announces run for Congress in Alaska

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Former Alaska governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin announced Friday that she is running for Congress.

Palin released a statement on Facebook announcing that she is throwing her hat into the special election race to replace the late Republican Congressman Don Young who died in mid-March after almost 50 years in Congress.

May 14: Sarah Palin speaks during the NRA national convention in Charlotte, N.C. (AP)

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"Today I’m announcing my candidacy for the U.S. House seat representing Alaska. 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," Palin wrote. "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."

Palin added that "America is at a tipping point" and that she has "watched the far left destroy the country."

Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, is seen in the Capitol Visitor Center on Thursday, September 30, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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"I knew I had to step up and join the fight," Palin said.

Palin's website was updated with a link to a WinRed page seeking donations for the congressional run. 

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Friday was the deadline to file for the June 11th primary election and Palin joins a crowded field that already contains more than 40 candidates.

Feb. 26, 2015: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Md. (AP)

The results of the primary election will be announced on June 26 and the top four finishers will advance to a special election on August 16 where the winner will be chosen via ranked-choice voting, according to Anchorage Daily News. 

Palin served as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska from 1996 to 2002 before becoming the chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in 2003. 

Palin was elected as a Republican to become Alaska's ninth governor in 2006 and served as presidential candidate John McCain's running mate in his failed 2008 election bid.