candidacy After the death of Alaska's at-large congressman Don Young, Palin ran in the 2022 special election for the vacated congressional seat. In August 2021, Palin had hinted at a possible Senate bid, challenging incumbent Republican Lisa Murkowski. On April 3, 2022, former president Donald Trump endorsed her run for the House of Representatives. Palin was one of the three remaining of 50 initial candidates in the 2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election. Al Gross, an independent, dropped out of the "top four" runoff, leaving two Republicans remaining, Palin, and Nick Begich III, along with Democratic ex-state house member Mary Peltola. Palin lost the special election to Mary Peltola following counting on August 31. She received 58,328 votes (30.9%) in the first round, and 85,987 votes (48.5%) once Nick Begich's second preferences had been transferred. After she lost the race to fill the remainder of Young's term, Palin urged Nick Begich to drop out of the November election for the two-year term, but he refused to do so. Political positions Palin has been a registered Republican since 1982. Health care Palin opposed the 2010 health care reform package, saying it would lead to rationing of health care by a bureaucracy, which she described using the term "death panels". This legislation is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as modified by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. She also opposes abortion, including in cases of rape, incest, and embryonic stem cell research, but supports it if the mother's life is in jeopardy. She supports parental consent as a requirement for female minors seeking an abortion. Social issues Palin opposes same-sex marriage and supports capital punishment. She has also called marijuana use a "minimal issue" and suggested that arresting cannabis users should be a low priority for local police. Although she opposes full legalization, she admits to smoking marijuana recreationally when it was legal in Alaska. Education Palin supports sex education in public schools that encourages sexual abstinence along with teaching about contraception. She also supports discussion of creationism during lessons on evolution in public schools. Palin believes evolution "should be taught as an accepted principle" and said that her belief in God's role in Earth's creation "is not part of the state policy or a local curriculum in a school district. Science should be taught in science class." (See Creation–evolution controversy.) Guns A Life Member of