Sean Parnell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sean Parnell
Parnell in October 2014
10th Governor of Alaska
In office July 26, 2009 – December 1, 2014
Lieutenant	Craig Campbell Mead Treadwell
Preceded by	Sarah Palin
Succeeded by	Bill Walker
12th Chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage
Incumbent
Assumed office June 12, 2021
Preceded by	Bruce Schultz (interim) Cathy Sandeen
9th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
In office December 4, 2006 – July 26, 2009
Governor	Sarah Palin
Preceded by	Loren Leman
Succeeded by	Craig Campbell
Member of the Alaska Senate from the 1st district
In office January 13, 1997 – January 13, 2001
Preceded by	Steve Rieger
Succeeded by	John Cowdery
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 17th district
In office January 11, 1993 – January 12, 1997
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	John Cowdery
Personal details
Born	Sean Randall Parnell (1962-11-19) November 19, 1962 (age 62) Hanford, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Sandra Scebold ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	2
Education	Pacific Lutheran University (BBA) Seattle University (JD)
Signature

Sean Randall Parnell (born November 19, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the tenth governor of Alaska from 2009 to 2014. He became governor after Sarah Palin resigned in July 2009. Later, he was elected governor on his own in 2010. He won with a large percentage of the votes. In 2014, he lost his re-election bid and went back to working in the private sector. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Parnell was born in Hanford, California. He studied law at the University of Puget Sound's School of Law, which is now called Seattle University School of Law. He worked as a lawyer before being elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1992. He continued his legal work while serving in the Alaska House and later, the Alaska Senate. He served two terms in the Alaska House from 1993 to 1997. Then he served one term in the Alaska Senate from 1997 to 2001.

After his time in the Senate, Parnell worked for Phillips Petroleum (now ConocoPhillips). He also worked as a lawyer at a law firm. He returned to public service in 2006. He won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor. He became Sarah Palin's running mate in her 2006 election campaign. The Palin and Parnell team won the election. Parnell became lieutenant governor of Alaska in December 2006. He became governor in July 2009 after Palin resigned. He was elected for a full term as governor in 2010. He was the first Alaska governor who was not elected to the position first, but then won a full term. In 2014, he lost his re-election to Bill Walker. Since June 12, 2021, Parnell has been the chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Early Life and Education

Sean Parnell was born in Hanford, California on November 19, 1962. He is the older of two sons. His family moved to Alaska in 1973 when he was 10 years old. They settled in Anchorage.

Parnell's mother was a high school teacher for over 25 years. His parents also owned a business together in Anchorage. Parnell worked in the family business when he was a teenager and during college.

He graduated from East Anchorage High School in 1980. He earned a business degree from Pacific Lutheran University in 1984. In 1987, he earned a law degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law.

Career in Law and Politics

Parnell is allowed to practice law in Alaska and Washington, D.C. He worked as a lawyer in the private sector for many years. He also had his own law practice for nine years.

While serving in the Alaska House and Alaska Senate in the 1990s, he continued to work as a private lawyer.

Legal Work Before Governorship

After leaving the Alaska Senate, Parnell became a director for Phillips Petroleum in Alaska. This company later became ConocoPhillips. In 2005, he joined a law firm. He left this firm in December 2006.

Serving in the Alaska Legislature

Parnell was first elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1992. He was 29 years old. He represented an area in Anchorage. After his first year, his colleagues called him the "Most Effective Freshman Legislator." This was because he helped other lawmakers pass their bills. In 1994, he was re-elected to the Alaska House. During this time, he helped pass an important law called the Domestic Violence Prevention Act of 1996. This law was Alaska's first complete statewide policy on this issue.

In 1996, Parnell was elected to the Alaska Senate. He served on the powerful Senate Finance Committee. In 1999 and 2000, his Senate colleagues chose him to be a co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

In 2000, Parnell decided not to run for re-election. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He then returned to working in the private sector.

Six years later, in 2006, Parnell was elected lieutenant governor of Alaska with Governor Sarah Palin. In July 2009, Governor Palin resigned. Parnell then became governor and finished her term. In 2010, Parnell won a four-year term as governor on his own.

Lieutenant Governor Role

Governor Sarah Palin with Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell in 2006

In 2005, Parnell ran and won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor. In Alaska, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately in the primary election. But after the primaries, the winners run together as a team. Parnell teamed up with Sarah Palin for the general election. Palin and Parnell won with 48.33% of the votes.

Running for Congress

In 2008, Parnell ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran against the long-serving member of Congress, Don Young.

Parnell lost the primary election for the U.S. House seat. The difference in votes was very small. Parnell said he trusted the election results. He decided not to ask for a recount.

Governor of Alaska

Becoming Governor

On July 26, 2009, Governor Sarah Palin resigned. She was halfway through her term. Parnell took her place, becoming Alaska's tenth governor. This was allowed by the Alaska Constitution. Craig Campbell then became lieutenant governor.

2010 Election Campaign

Parnell ran for a full term as governor in 2010. He won the nomination in the primary election. He and Mead Treadwell, who ran for lieutenant governor, then faced the Democratic team. Parnell and Treadwell won the election by more than ten points.

2014 Election Campaign

Parnell ran for re-election in 2014. Former Republican Bill Walker challenged Parnell as an independent politician. Walker joined his campaign with the Democratic candidate, Byron Mallott. Mallott became Walker's running mate. Parnell lost the election to Bill Walker on November 15, 2014.

Parnell was one of only two Republican governors who lost their re-election bids in 2014.

Key Initiatives as Governor

As governor, Parnell focused on important issues like preventing domestic violence. His campaign worked to raise awareness and improve support for people affected by violence. They also focused on education and prevention programs. This effort gained a lot of support. Each year, events like marches and rallies were held across Alaska. By 2012, over 100 communities were taking part in these events. This showed a strong commitment to stopping violence.

Personal Life

Sean Parnell married his college girlfriend, Sandy, in 1987. They moved back to Anchorage, Alaska. Parnell started his law practice there. The Parnells have two daughters, Grace and Rachel. They were born and grew up in Anchorage.

Grace is a professional photographer. Rachel is a university student studying history.

In October 2015, Parnell and his wife Sandy moved to Palmer, Alaska. He returned to working as a private attorney. He opened a law firm that focuses on business law, contracts, and real estate.

See also

In Spanish: Sean Parnell para niños