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
1998 Alaska gubernatorial election 1998 Alaska gubernatorial election The 1998 Alaska gubernatorial general election took place on November 3, 1998. The election resulted in a landslide for the Democratic incumbent, Tony Knowles, who had won the 1994 gubernatorial election by only 536 votes. Knowles was the first incumbent governor to attain re-election since 1978. As of 2019, this is the most recent election in which a Democrat was elected Governor of Alaska and the most recent election in which an Alaskan governor was re-elected. Incumbent Democratic governor Tony Knowles was up for re-election. On the Republican side, three major candidates jockeyed for the nomination: