Former Gov. Sarah Palin has endorsed gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker.
The endorsement came at a reception hosted by Palin Tuesday night in which she told about 100 guests that she supports Walker and his running mate, Byron Mallott, because she trusts them to responsibly develop Alaska's resources for the maximum benefit of the state's residents, said a release from the Walker-Mallott campaign.
"Last night my family, along with Byron and Toni Mallott, and our campaign staff attended a reception hosted by Todd and Sarah Palin at their lakeside property in Wasilla," said Walker in a press release sent Wednesday.
The statement noted that Palin, a Wasilla mayor before she became governor in 2006, joined former Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright and new Wasilla mayor Bert Cottle in endorsing Walker at the event, the release said.
Gov. Sean Parnell, hoping to win a second full term, announced new endorsements Tuesday, including from North Slope Borough Mayor Charlotte Brower, elder Bill Williams of Saxman and former Sealaska director Carlton Smith.
None carry Palin's political fame, but her influence in Alaska is unclear. Palin quit partway through her term as governor in 2009, leaving Parnell in charge and angering many Alaskans for leaving office early.
After staying out of state politics for years, Palin endorsed Ballot Measure 1 this summer, but the referendum -- to repeal Parnell's oil tax rewrite -- failed.