Sarah Palin not seeking US presidential candidacy in 2012

Sarah Palin not seeking US presidential candidacy in 2012

Former US Republican Vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin has said that she would not seek the party’s presidential nomination ticket in 2012 ending months of speculation and leaving the Republican field largely settled.

Palin said this in an official letter to her supporters and in an interview with conservative talk radio host, Mark Levin.

“After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for president of the United States,” she said in the letter.

Palin had left the door open to a run-in, but gave little sign of joining the race to challenge the Democratic President, Barack Obama.

Family considerations

In her letter, Palin cited family considerations as being a major factor in her decision.

She said the US news media had gone too far in covering her family, such as the drama involving her daughter Bristol's tempestuous relationship with the father of her child, Levi Johnston.

She made clear she would turn her attention towards recreating a role she carved out for herself in the 2010 congressional elections, helping to elect Tea Party conservatives to Congress, state governorships and the White House.

"I believe that I can be more effective and I can be more aggressive in this mission in a supportive role of getting the right people elected", she said.

Emerging candidates

Palin’s decision to withdraw from the nomination race leaves Republican voters to choose from a field led by former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, Texas Governor, Rick Perry, and a businessman, Herman Cain including a host of others.

"Cinderella's not going to the ball, so Republican voters are going to have to settle for one of her ugly sisters", said Mark McKinnon, a former campaign adviser to Republicans George Bush and John McCain.

Waning star

Palin's star had faded since her opening days as McCain's vice presidential nominee in 2008 when she burst onto the scene as relatively unknown, quickly becoming a conservative star and promoted herself in positive light.

She has been polling far behind the main challengers for the Republican nomination and most Palin watchers had long since concluded that she was not going to run based on a series of equivocating statements.

The only woman in the 2012 race now is Minnesota congresswoman, Michele Bachmann, who was popular with the same social conservatives who find Palin an electrifying presence.

Reuters/Ehimen/Ekata