By Dan Whitcomb and Tim Reid
(Reuters) - Sarah Palin, the Republican nominee for vice president in 2008, announced her run for Alaska's only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday.
It would be Palin's first run for public office since serving as John McCain's running mate in a campaign that saw Democrat Barack Obama elected president in November 2008.
"America is at a tipping point," Palin said in a statement released on her Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) account announcing her candidacy. "As I've watched the far left destroy the country, I knew I had to step up and join the fight."
"At this critical time in our nation's history, we need leaders who will combat the left's socialist, big-government, America-last agenda," she said.
Such fiery, anti-establishment rhetoric came to define Palin's vice-presidential campaign in 2008 and served as a precursor to the rise of Republican former President Donald Trump and the modern Republican Party.
Alaska's House seat became vacant after Republican Don Young died suddenly last month at age 88 after serving for more than four decades.
A website, http://www.sarahforalaska.com, was set up as of Friday evening for Palin's campaign. The home page of the site says, "Sarah Palin is running for Congress!" and seeks donations.