Jan 20, 2016- Donald Trump‘s Republican presidential bid has received the backing of Sarah Palin, the populist ex-governor of Alaska who was the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008.
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“I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President of the United States of America”, Palin said in a statement.
Palin, the former governor of Alaska who was John McCain’s running mate in 2008, has continued to be a popular spokeswoman for conservatives, especially socially conservative Christians, long after leaving office in her home state.
Trump, whose team had been touting a major, surprise announcement, praised Palin as “a friend, and a high-quality person whom I have great respect for” in a statement.
A news release from Trump’s campaign also confirmed the move before the start of the event at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center on the Iowa State University campus.
In a related Palin camp criticism, Bristol Palin blogged today that Cruz should stop taking shots at her mom: “After hearing what Cruz is now saying about my mom, in a negative knee-jerk reaction, makes me hope my mom does endorse Trump”. She said she was pleased to see that Palin is endorsing the candidate she already supported.
Still, he added, “Sarah Palin can’t save Donald Trump from being insane”, referring to some of Trump’s proclamations, such as a plan to ban Muslims from entering the USA, which Graham said made Trump unelectable.
“She’s a conservative and I like knowing that she’s speaking out on his behalf”, she said. In an interview with CNN last month, Palin was asked if she would support Cruz or Trump for president.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, (R-AK), mimicks the quirks of Tina Fey’s “30 Rock” character in a video from the Independent Journal.
Track is a U.S. Army veteran who spent a year deployed in Iraq.
Palin, who said she was proud to endorse Trump, was a relative unknown before being tapped to run alongside Sen. She claimed that some Republicans were secretly ready to support Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton so they could keep, as she put it, “slurpin’ off the gravy train”. Donors are one key factor, but her influence with Tea Party voters and evangelicals will be crucial for Trump whose image with those groups has suffered. Trump is just behind Cruz for the lead in polling for Iowa, though he leads nationally.
Palin’s support was widely anticipated in conservative circles.
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If there was palpable excitement about Palin’s endorsement among Trump fans on Tuesday, the news could irk some leaders on the right who do not view Trump as conservative enough on social issues like women’s reproductive issues.
