Todd Palin

Palin was born and raised in Dillingham, Alaska to James F. "Jim" and Blanche Palin (née Roberts).[4][5] Palin has Yup'ik, Dutch, and English ancestry.[6][7] His grandmother Lena Andree was the daughter of a Dutch-American father and a Yup'ik mother and she grew up speaking both English and Yup'ik. Andree grew up in the now abandoned community of Tuklung in a mixed race region of Bristol Bay and was a member of an Alaska Native corporation, but was not an enrolled citizen of any tribe. Palin is not actively involved in Native politics or any Native organizations, but receives dividends from the Bristol Bay Native Corporation. His blood quantum is one-eighth and that of his children is one-sixteenth. Because he is a non-enrolled lineal descendant of an enrolled Alaska Native (his great-grandmother), he and his children are eligible for health benefits under federal law through the 1970 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.[8] Tuklung was consolidated into the Manokotak Village, a federally recognized tribe.[9]

In 1982, Palin graduated from Wasilla High School, which is the same alma mater of his wife and their eldest two children, son Track and daughter Bristol. He has taken some college courses but did not complete a degree.[5]

Palin was a union member and belonged to the United Steelworkers union.[10]

For eighteen years, he worked for BP in the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. In 2007, in order to avoid a conflict of interest that related to his wife's position as governor, he took a leave[11] from his job as production supervisor, when his employer became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with his wife's administration.[5] Seven months later, because the family needed more income, Todd returned to BP. In order to avoid potential conflict of interest, this time, he accepted a non-management position as a production operator.[2][11] He resigned from his job on September 18, 2009, with the stated reason as a desire to spend more time with his family.[12]

He is also a commercial salmon fisherman at Bristol Bay on the Nushugak River.[5]

Palin is a four-time champion of the Tesoro Iron Dog, the world's longest snowmachine race,[18][26] which traces the path of the Iditarod race with an extra journey of several hundred miles to Fairbanks added.

Palin has competed in the Tesoro every year since 1993.[18] His racing teammate is Scott Davis, with whom he won in 2007.[27] He has previously raced with Dusty Van Meter in the race, and they were co-champions in 2000 and 2002.[28] In 1995, Palin partnered with Dwayne Drake for his first win.[28]

In 2008, 400 miles (640 km) from defending his Tesoro Iron Dog championship, he was injured and broke his arm[29] when he was thrown 70 feet[30] from his machine.[31] He was sent to the hospital but managed to finish in fourth place.[32]

In 2016, trying for another Tesoro Iron Dog championship, he was forced to scratch at checkpoint Nenana, 112 miles from the finish, when partner Shane Barber suffered engine trouble.[33]

In March 2016, Palin was seriously injured in a snowmachine crash, suffering a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, and a broken clavicle and shoulder blade.[34]

Palin's name has appeared in news reports regarding the firing of commissioner Walt Monegan and the actions of Alaska state trooper Mike Wooten.[35][36][37] At one point, Todd Palin brought information prepared by himself and a private investigator to Monegan.[35]

On September 12, 2008, the Alaska legislature subpoenaed Palin to testify on his role in the controversy.[38] On September 18, the McCain/Palin campaign announced that Todd Palin would refuse to testify because he does not believe the investigation is legitimate.[39] State senator Bill Wielechowski said that the witnesses could not be punished for disobeying the subpoenas until the full legislature comes into session, then scheduled to be in January 2009.[39]

On October 10, 2008, Palin was cited in special investigator Stephen Branchflower's report[40] to the Legislative Council. One of Branchflower's four main findings was that the governor had violated Alaska's ethics act when she "wrongfully permitted Todd Palin to use the governor's office ... to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get trooper Wooten fired".[41][42] Todd Palin's conduct was not assessed in the report, as he was not an executive branch employee.[43]

In August 1988, Palin eloped with his high-school girlfriend Sarah Heath.[44] The Palins have five children: Track Charles James (b. 1989), who has enlisted in the United States Army and deployed to Iraq on September 11, 2008; Bristol Sheeran Marie (b. 1990);[45] Willow Bianca Faye (b. 1994); Piper Indy Grace (b. 2001);[18] and Trig Paxson Van (b. 2008), who has Down syndrome;[46][47][48] they also have eight grandchildren.[49]

Palin fishes and holds a Private Pilot Certificate.[50][51] He also owns his own aircraft, a Piper PA-18 Super Cub.[52]

Palin's stepmother, Faye Palin, ran unsuccessfully in 2002 for the position of mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, to succeed Palin's wife, who was term-limited. Faye Palin, who is pro-choice and a registered Democrat, lost to Dianne M. Keller, a candidate endorsed by Sarah Palin.[53]

Palin filed for divorce from Sarah on August 29, 2019, citing "incompatibility of temperament".[54] The divorce was finalized on March 23, 2020.[55][56]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Todd Palin.

• Appearances on C-SPAN