Palin resigning as Alaska governor in surprise move

In May, Palin signed a book deal to tell her own story, for an undisclosed sum, with News Corp's HarperCollins.

"I look forward to helping others -- to fight for our state and our country, and campaign for those who believe in smaller government, free enterprise, strong national security, support for our troops, and energy independence," she said.

Palin established herself as a party outsider by promoting a natural gas pipeline project opposed by Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski. She ran against the governor in 2006, defeated him in the primary and then won the general election.

The project to ship abundant North Slope gas reserves to U.S. markets has been stalled by the current recession and a recent sharp dip in natural gas prices.

(Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols, Andrea Shalal-Esa, Chris Wilson, Jeff Mason, and Robert Campbell in Mexico City, Writing by Doina Chiacu: Writing by David Storey; Editing by Chris Wilson)