2010 United States gubernatorial elections candidate Kenneth Mapp, a former Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, in the general election on November 2, 2010. De Jongh defeated Mapp in the election. Governor Sarah Palin was elected in 2006 with 48% of the vote and was eligible to seek reelection in 2010. On July 3, 2009, Palin announced that she would not run for reelection, and resigned on July 26, 2009. On July 26, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell became the 12th Governor of Alaska. Parnell officially announced that he would be running for a first full-term in 2010. In August 2010 he won the
2009 Alaska floods 2009 Alaska floods The 2009 Alaska floods were a series of natural disasters taking place in the United States state of Alaska during April and May 2009. The floods are a result of heavier-than-typical winter snowfall and above-average spring temperatures that resulted in rapid melting of the winter snowfall. The resulting high water levels were aggravated in places by the development of ice dams that caused catastrophic flooding. The record-breaking flood that affected Eagle, Alaska in early May is the best example of an ice dam causing flooding beyond the norm. The winter of 2008–2009 brought unusually heavy snowfall to