Sarah Palin | Biography & Facts - Britannica

Television shows, publications, and The New York Times defamation trials

In addition to her political work, she appeared in the reality television series Sarah Palin’s Alaska (2010–11), which focused on her family and their outdoor adventures, and in a show that centered on her eldest daughter, Bristol Palin: Life’s a Tripp (2012). Palin’s books included the memoir Going Rogue: An American Life (2009), America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag (2010), Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas (2013), and Sweet Freedom: A Devotional (2015). The Undefeated, a documentary about her life, was released in 2011.

In 2017 The New York Times ran an editorial claiming a clear link between a map distributed by Palin’s PAC—it depicted electoral districts overlaid with stylized crosshairs—and the 2011 shooting of Democratic Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Within hours of its publication, however, the Times issued a correction, noting that no connection between the map and the shooting had been established. Nevertheless, Palin sued for defamation, and the trial began in 2022. While the jury was deliberating, the judge ruled that Palin had failed to prove her case. However, he allowed the jury—which was unaware of his decision—to continue deliberations, and it reached the same verdict. After a federal appeals court cited judicial errors and granted a retrial, the case returned to court in 2025. On April 4 a federal jury again ruled in favor of the Times.

Quick Facts Née: Sarah Louise Heath (Show more) Born: February 11, 1964, Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S. (age 61) (Show more) Title / Office: governor (2006-2009), Alaska (Show more) Political Affiliation: Republican Party (Show more) On the Web: CBS News - Exclusive: Palin On Foreign Policy (Dec. 19, 2025) (Show more) See all related content Access for the whole family! Bundle Britannica Premium and Kids for the ultimate resource destination. Subscribe

In April 2022, shortly after the first trial ended, Palin announced that she was running in the special election to complete the late Republican Don Young’s term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She quickly received Trump’s endorsement, though some voters expressed doubts about her commitment to the state. The special election was held in August 2022, and Palin was defeated by Democrat Mary Peltola. It was Alaska’s first statewide use of ranked-choice voting, and Palin called the process “crazy, convoluted, [and] confusing.” Despite the setback, she competed in the November election for a full term in the House, and she again lost to Peltola.