Sarah Palin resigning as governor

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is resigning. The former Republican vice presidential nomineee said she would not seek re-election as governor and would step down at the end of the month. She made the announcement Friday at a press conference in her hometown of Wasila, Alaska.

It is not known if Palin will seek a run for the presidency in 2012 but she remains one of the most popular figures in the Republican Party. At her news conference, she promised to campaign for other candidates inside Alaska or outside of Alaska, which could help set her up for a campaign of her own.

Palin left open the possibility that she might also campaign for Democratic candidates, saying she will support "those who will protect freedom and equality and life" and "those who are proud to be American and who are inspired by our ideals and they won't deride them." She added: "I don't care what party they're in, or no party at all."

"I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is not the easiest path," Governor Palin said in a statement after the announcement. "Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional 'lame duck' status in this particular climate would just be another dose of 'politics as usual,' something I campaigned against and will always oppose."

The transfer of power will occur on July 26. Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell will be sworn in and Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will assume his role as Lieutenant Governor.