CNN’s Peter Hamby is reporting that Sarah Palin’s announcement, expected to start in a few moments, will be that she is not seeking reelection in 2010.
Larry Sabato had called her a shoo-in for reelection.
Her decision is likely to set off a mad scramble and contested primary on both sides of the aisle. According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, the list of those who have expressed interest in running if Palin wasn’t running for reelection include former GOP legislator and political analyst Andrew Halco, former state Rep. Ralph Samuels, Fairbanks Republican John Binkley, Fairbanks Republican Ralph Seekins, state Rep. John Harris, R-Valdez, and former state Sen. and Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, Ethan Berkowitz. And that was their list a month ago.
Jeff Staser, who served as federal co-chair of the Denali Commission and was a legislative aide for former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, is interested but unsure of party; Anchorage Sen. Hollis French, a Democrat, hasn’t yet decided. Democrat Bill Poe declared his candidacy in January.
I had earlier expressed that she would be wise to serve two terms, yesterday and here.
UPDATE: Chris Wallace, speaking on Fox News right now, says that based on “nothing more than a hunch,” he wonders if she still wants a future in politics.