Calling it quits. Sarah Palin’s husband, Todd Palin, has filed for divorce from the former Alaska governor after 31 years of marriage, Us Weekly confirms.
Todd filed with the Anchorage Superior Court on Friday, September 6. The oil field production operator, 55, requested to have their marriage dismissed, citing “incompatibility of temperament between the parties.”
Todd also noted that their incompatibility made it “impossible to live together as husband and wife.” Sarah, 55, has yet to respond to the filing.
Sarah and Todd wed in August 1988. The former couple are parents of five children: Track, 30, Bristol, 28, Willow, 25, Piper, 18, and Trig, 11.
The Anchorage Daily News reports that the filing asks for joint custody of Trig, who was born with Down syndrome.
The pair are also the grandparents of five. Their daughter Bristol is a mother of son Tripp, 10, and daughters Sailor, 3, and Atlee, 2. Track, meanwhile, is the father of two children. Willow is expecting twins in December with husband Ricky Bailey.
Sarah became the governor of Alaska in 2006. However, she and her family gained national attention when the politician was tapped to be late Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s vice presidential running mate during the 2008 election.
Though the conservative duo lost to President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, Sarah was named one of America’s 10 Most Fascinating People of 2008 by Barbara Walters. She was also selected as one of Time’s 100 most influential people in 2010.
Palin resigned from her role as governor in July 2009, later being succeeded by Sean Parnell.
“As I thought about this announcement that I would not seek re-election, I thought about how much fun other governors have as lame ducks,” she said during a news conference. “They maybe travel around their state, travel to other states, maybe take their overseas international trade missions. I’m not going to put Alaskans through that.”
Palin continued, “I promised efficiencies and effectiveness. That’s not how I’m wired. I’m not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual.”
