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
Politics of Alaska of the political debate centered on whether Alaska would become a Democratic or Republican-leaning state. Conventional wisdom had it that, with its penchant for new ideas and dependence on the Federal Government largess for basic needs, it would become a Democratic stronghold, about which Republicans, and the Republican Administration of Dwight Eisenhower had reservations. Given time, those fears proved unfounded. With the discovery of petroleum in Alaska, the liberal political majority in Alaska quickly came to an end. Six Republicans and four Democrats have served as governor of Alaska. In addition, Republican Governor Wally Hickel was elected to the office