Politics of Alaska best performance, with a net gain of 7.5 percentage points. In 2008, Governor Sarah Palin became the first Republican woman to run on a national ticket when she became John McCain's running mate. She continued to be a prominent national figure even after resigning from the governor's job in July 2009. Politics of Alaska Political party strength in Alaska has varied over the years. The communities of Juneau, Sitka, downtown and midtown Anchorage, the areas surrounding the College/University of Alaska Fairbanks campus and Ester and the "Alaska Bush" – rural, sparsely populated Alaska – stand out as Democratic strongholds, while
Alaska Airlines Center million was allocated in the FY 2009 capital budget, with an additional $60 million coming from the approval of bonds by Alaska voters in 2010. The remaining $34 million came from the FY 2012 capital budget signed by governor Sean Parnell, which also included $2 million for team recruiting efforts for the Great Alaska Shootout. Design of the arena commenced in 2011, shortly after the regents' vote. Groundwork and construction occurred throughout 2012. The arena and PAMC share parking, as parking on the UAA campus north of Providence Drive is limited. The school's ice hockey team continues to play at