Sean Parnell Sean Parnell Sean R. Parnell (born November 19, 1962) is an American politician of the Republican Party. He succeeded Sarah Palin on 26 July 2009 to become the tenth governor of Alaska and served until 2014. Parnell was elected governor in his own right in 2010 by 59.06% of the vote, as the largest percentage margin of any Alaska governor since statehood. In 2014, he narrowly lost his bid for re-election and has since returned to work in the private sector. Born in Hanford, California, Parnell is a graduate from the University of Puget Sound's School of Law (now known
1980 United States Senate election in Alaska presidential election and had easily won re-election to the Senate in 1974, he had never established a strong political base in Alaska. The passage of a controversial land bill earlier in the year, as opposed to a compromise bill worked out by fellow Senator Ted Stevens that failed thanks to Gravel two years prior, further harmed his re-election bid. A group of Democrats, including future governor Steve Cowper, campaigned against Gravel on the land bill issue. The sources of Gravel's campaign funds, some of which came from political action committees outside the state, also became an issue in the contest.