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New Gov. Bill Walker took office Dec. 1 and ordered immediate changes in top echelons of state government. Walker brought back several top officials from Gov. Sarah Palin’s administration for senior positions in the natural resources and revenue departments. Walker defeated former Gov. Sean Parnell by about 6,200 votes in the Nov. 4 Alaska elections. Parnell first took office in July 2009 when Palin resigned before the end of her term. Out were several state commissioners and deputy commissioners including Joe Balash at the Department of Natural Resources, Susan Bell at Commerce and Economic Development, Bill Streur at the Department...

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell conceded the gubernatorial race Saturday, issuing a statement a day after independent challenger Bill Walker was declared the winner. […] Parnell has served as governor since July 2009, when Sarah Palin resigned. He won election in his own right in 2010. Palin had endorsed Walker. …

Independent Walker Ousts Parnell In Close Alaska Governor's Race By Sara Fischer, CNN November 15, 2014 Walker is the first independent to win the seat in Alaska's statehood He ran as independent after Parnell beat him in the 2010 GOP primary for governor. Democrat Byron Mallott will be lieutenant governor (CNN) -- CNN projects independent candidate Bill Walker has won the Alaska gubernatorial race, defeating Republican incumbent Sean Parnell. Walker, a lawyer and local politician, is the first independent to win the seat in Alaska's statehood. The former Valdez mayor and city councilor announced that he would run as an...

Alaska will begin counting nearly 50,000 absentee and questioned ballots on Tuesday in an effort to resolve the state's unsettled contests for the Senate and for governor. Democratic Sen. Mark Begich trails Republican challenger Dan Sullivan by about 8,100 votes. ... The Alaska governor's race is also too close to call. Independent candidate Bill Walker leads incumbent Republican Gov. Sean Parnell by about 3,000 votes.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spent the early part of the 2014 midterms traveling the country endorsing conservative candidates in Republican primary races, hoping to leave her mark on the future of the GOP. But on Wednesday, Palin rebuked her Republican successor in her home state, endorsing independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker, who is running on a "unity ticket" with Democratic running mate Byron Mallott, instead. Palin's endorsement goes against her former lieutenant governor, Gov. Sean Parnell, who assumed office in 2009 when Palin abruptly resigned and is embroiled in a highly contested race for reelection to a second full...

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defended as fair and commonsense the oil tax structure she championed while in office, a system that has been dismantled by state lawmakers and her successor, fellow Republican Sean Parnell... (please see full article to continue)

The recent dispatch of EPA storm troopers into tiny little Chicken, Alaska, is just one further bit of proof of what happens when this or any administration places itself above the law and it should concern every single American. This past week, the EPA sent a heavily armed force to the gold mine in Chicken, Alaska, population 17, to conduct a raid. All told there are 73 armed groups within the federal government, including the Library of Congress. Gov Sean Parnell has ordered an investigation into the incident and both senators, Lisa Murkowski, (R) and Mark Begich, (D) have added...

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, is defending Alaska’s oil and gas jobs as being on the rise, while the governor states this is not the case.

Sarah Palin's record as governor of Alaska has largely gone unchallenged by conservatives, despite the fact that one of her signature legacies was imposing an oil profits tax -- a distinctly liberal idea. Now, Republicans in the state Legislature and Palin's own Republican replacement, Gov. Sean Parnell, have scored a victory in an attempt to reverse her tax hike. Democrats, though, stood strong with Palin in opposing any rollback on the tax hike.

JUNEAU, Alaska — While every online swipe from former Gov. Sarah Palin still draws national attention and stirs fresh speculation about her political ambitions, back home she is no longer quite so imposing. Even as she casts herself as an energy expert and is quick to attack the Obama administration on oil and gas issues, the two most prominent energy policies she put in place as governor of Alaska face new challenges less than two years after she left office. Gov. Sean Parnell, Ms. Palin’s fellow Republican and former lieutenant, has announced that it is his top priority to undo...

The State of Alaska -one of 26 states signed-on as Plaintiff in the Florida federal case- has decided not to implement ObamaCare in any way after that judge struck down the entire stealth HC nationalization as unconstitutional... WSJ: Alaska Governor Sean Parnell said he won't implement the federal health-care overhaul after a judge in Florida struck down the law as unconstitutional. It's not immediately clear what practical impact the unusual move would have on Alaskans, an estimated 14% of which are uninsured year-round. A major expansion of the federal law is still pending, and a legal expert and health-care consumer...

Parnell Asks for Resignations from Palin Appointees Wed, November 3, 2010 Posted in Alaska News, Alaska Politics, Elections 2010, Top Stories Dave Donaldson, APRN – Juneau Wednesday, Governor Sean Parnell took the first steps in creating his own administration that will be different from what he inherited when Sarah Palin quit last year. It is the same step taken when one governor takes over from another – and, since it didn’t take place when Palin left office, it could indicate a noticeable break from the past. He is asking for resignations from all Palin appointees – at the cabinet level,...

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Thousands are expected to attend the Alaska governor's annual Fairbanks picnic, where Gov. Palin will officially step down and transfer power to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell. Organizers of the July 26 event say they are planning on at least 5,000 picnickers and scores of journalists.

Local leaders are welcoming Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell as the state's new governor, saying he should be good for the capital city and the state. "Sean has been a friend of Juneau for some time," said Sen. Dennis Egan, who has known Parnell for many years. A former Republican legislator from Anchorage, Parnell was co-chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee for part of the time Egan served as Juneau's mayor in the 1990s. Parnell represented Anchorage but never joined in the anti-Juneau sentiments expressed by some others from Anchorage and the Mat-Su, Egan said. "He was never that way...

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell had an unremarkable first year in office, loyally supporting Gov. Sarah Palin. But in the past year and half, a crescendo of unexpected announcements and dramatic developments have thrust him into a more prominent role, culminating with his unanticipated move into the No. 1 seat announced Friday. One day later a spokesman for the governor's office said Parnell would seek a full term in 2010. But for the next year and a half the job is all his. Parnell made headlines in March 2008 with his surprise decision to run against 18-term incumbent Don Young in...

Lt. Gov. Response to Palin’s Announcement (July 3, 2009, Wasilla, Alaska) Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell has released his prepared remarks in response to Governor Palin's announcement.Thank you, Governor. It is with a heavy heart that I hear these words. I so appreciate what you have done for our state and your sacrificial service. You have been a strong leader for our state, you've inspired a nation, and you've ignited the fire of real hope around the world.I profoundly respect your decision for I know the depth of character and integrity from which it springs. Rare, indeed, are such selfless acts...

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R) is considering a primary rematch against Rep. Don Young next year. According to sources close to the lieutenant governor, Parnell is leaving the door open to another bid for Alaska’s at-large seat after he came close to defeating the 19-term lawmaker last year.

The lieutenant governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell, announced today that he's challenging ethically embattled Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) in the Republican primary, raising the likelihood of a hotly contested fight for the GOP nomination. Parnell announced his intentions at the state’s Republican Party convention, according to The Associated Press. He will be formally kicking off his campaign at a news conference this afternoon in Anchorage. Parnell is an ally of the state's governor, Sarah Palin, a reform-minded Republican who unseated former Gov. Frank Murkowski in a 2006 Republican primary. An attorney, he has served in both the state House and...

In a surprise move, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell announced Friday at the State GOP Convention that he will challenge embattled Congressman Don Young in the Republican primary. Young -- an 18-term incumbent -- is reportedly the target of a federal corruption investigation. Young's campaign committee has already spent over $800,000 on legal fees related to the investigation. Independent polling has shown Young trailing former State House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz (D) in general election matchups. "For too long, we have expected too little from our elected officials. It is time for change," said Parnell. As Parnell is a close ally...