Todd Palin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Todd Palin
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Palin at the 2010 Time 100 Gala
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| First Gentleman of Alaska | |
| In role December 4, 2006 – July 26, 2009 |
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| Governor | Sarah Palin |
| Preceded by | Nancy Murkowski (First Lady) |
| Succeeded by | Sandra Parnell (First Lady) |
| First Gentleman of Wasilla | |
| In role October 14, 1996 – October 14, 2002 |
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| Mayor | Sarah Palin |
| Preceded by | Karen Marie (First Lady) |
| Succeeded by | David Keller |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Todd Mitchell Palin
September 6, 1964 Dillingham, Alaska, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
Alaska Independence (1995–2002) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, including Bristol |
| Residences | Wasilla, Alaska, U.S. |
| Occupation | Oil field production worker Commercial fisherman Snowmachine racer |
Todd Mitchell Palin (born September 6, 1964) is an American businessman. He was known as the First Gentleman of Alaska from 2006 to 2009. This means he was the spouse of the Alaska governor, Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin also ran for Vice President in 2008.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Todd Palin was born and grew up in Dillingham, Alaska. His parents were James F. "Jim" and Blanche Palin. He has a mix of backgrounds, including Yup'ik (from a great-grandmother), Dutch, and English.
In 1982, Palin finished high school at Wasilla High School. His wife and their two oldest children, Track and Bristol, also went to this school. He took some college classes but did not get a degree.
Career and Work
Todd Palin was a member of a union, which is a group of workers who join together to protect their rights. He belonged to the United Steelworkers union.
For 18 years, he worked for a company called BP in the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. In 2007, he took a break from his job. This was to avoid a "conflict of interest" because his wife, the governor, was involved in talks about a natural gas pipeline with his employer.
Seven months later, he returned to BP because his family needed more money. To avoid problems, he took a different job that was not in management. He left his job in September 2009 to spend more time with his family.
Palin also works as a commercial salmon fisherman. He fishes in Bristol Bay on the Nushugak River.
Public Life and Roles
Voter Registration
Todd Palin first signed up to vote in 1989. For several years, from 1995 to 2002, he was registered with the Alaskan Independence Party. This party wants Alaska to be more independent.
Later, in 2008, it was reported that Palin was registered as an "independent" voter. This means he did not belong to any specific political party. His wife, Sarah, later confirmed this.
First Gentleman of Alaska
Palin was the first gentleman of Alaska for about two and a half years, from 2006 to 2009. People often called him the "first dude." In this role, he encouraged young Alaskans to consider jobs in the oil and gas industry if they couldn't afford college. He also advised the governor on how to help people get jobs for the natural gas pipeline project.
In 2010, the state of Alaska released many emails that Palin had exchanged with state officials. These emails showed that he discussed many state activities. He talked about things like who should be on state boards, complaints from citizens, how the state jet was used, and oil and gas production. This showed he played an important role as an unpaid adviser to the government.
Other Activities
As of late 2009, Todd Palin was a community volunteer. He coached youth sports like hockey and basketball.
He was also a judge in the 2008 Miss Alaska beauty pageant. In August 2012, Palin appeared on an NBC reality TV show called Stars Earn Stripes.
A famous racehorse was even named after him: First Dude. This horse finished second in a big race called the 2010 Preakness Stakes and won another race in 2011.
Champion Snowmachine Racer
Todd Palin is a very skilled snowmachine racer. He has won the Tesoro Iron Dog race four times. This race is the longest snowmachine race in the world. It follows the same path as the famous Iditarod dog sled race, but adds hundreds more miles to Fairbanks.
Palin has raced in the Tesoro Iron Dog every year since 1993. He won with his teammate Scott Davis in 2007. He also won with Dusty Van Meter in 2000 and 2002. His first win was in 1995 with Dwayne Drake.
In 2008, while trying to win the Tesoro Iron Dog again, he had an accident. He broke his arm when he was thrown from his snowmachine. Even though he was hurt and sent to the hospital, he still managed to finish the race in fourth place.
In 2016, he had to stop racing in the Tesoro Iron Dog because his partner's snowmachine had engine trouble. In March 2016, Palin was seriously injured in another snowmachine crash. He suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs, and a broken collarbone and shoulder blade.
Personal Life
In August 1988, Todd Palin married his high school girlfriend, Sarah Heath. They have five children:
- Track Charles James (born 1989), who joined the United States Army.
- Bristol Sheeran Marie (born 1990).
- Willow Bianca Faye (born 1994).
- Piper Indy Grace (born 2001).
- Trig Paxson Van (born 2008), who has Down syndrome.
They also have nine grandchildren.
Besides racing, Palin enjoys fishing. He also has a private pilot license and owns his own small airplane, a Piper PA-18 Super Cub.
Palin's stepmother, Faye Palin, tried to become mayor of Wasilla, Alaska in 2002. She wanted to take over from Todd's wife, Sarah, who could not run again due to term limits.
Todd Palin filed for divorce from Sarah on August 29, 2019. The divorce was finalized on March 23, 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Todd Palin para niños
