As the national wires burned with the shocker that Sarah Palin would resign as governor of Alaska (effective July 26), speculation mounted as to whether there were any highly personal reasons for her unexpected decision today (July 3rd) and what the next political move would be for the ’08 Republican vice presidential nominee -- if any.

But one side of the “Sarah shocker” that much of the national press is missing is that, by leaving the governorship, Palin gives a tremendous political boost to the conservative who is her political teammate and soul-mate, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell. 

In the Byzantine politics of Alaska, giving incumbency and fresh clout early to someone can be a tremendous leg up.  The terms “conservative” and “liberal” are very ambiguous among Alaska Republicans, who are divided more on who wants to continue the current dependency on the federal government the state enjoys (ex-Sen. Ted Stevens and ex-Gov. Frank Murkowski are in that category) and younger GOPers who want the state to have greater freedom from Washington (Palin and Parnell are certainly in that column).  Primaries grow divisive and candidates often bolt from major parties to run on third-party or independent labels in November.  Andrew Halcro, a former Repubican state legislator, ran as an independent in the race in ’06 in which Palin defeated former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles.

As speculation started last month that Palin would not file for re-election, the names of three Republicans and six Democrats considering a run for governor were immediately on the lips of pundits and pols throughout the Land of the Midnight Sun. 

With her not running, the scenario of battles royals among Democrats and Republicans will come true.  But with her resigning, Parnell (who will be sworn in later this month) gets a big edge toward winning the Republican nomination. 

There is precedent for this idea of a governor giving a boost to the understudy:  in 1969, when then-Republican Gov. Walter Hickel resigned to become secretary of the interior, Secretary of State Keith Miller (Alaska had no lieutenant governor at the time) succeeded him as governor.  A year later, as a sitting governor, Miller won a close primary over the state’s congressman-at-large, Howard Pollock.  Few feel Miller could have won the primary were he not the incumbent.

Palin and Parnell are close.  Last year, the governor made headlines when she endorsed Parnell in his primary challenge to fellow Republican Don Young, who had been Alaska’s congressman-at-large since 1973.  Young narrowly survived the challenge and was re-elected last fall.  There is reportedly still bad blood between Palin and Young.

So it really is no surprise, then, to find Palin helping one of her closest political friends.

As to what the future holds for the “hockey mom from Wasilla,” only she knows.  Many believe Palin will make money speaking and lecturing and hosting a radio or TV program.  She will return to politics, they say, at a future date -- possibly running for the Senate in 2014. Others say she is sick of the attacks on her family and getting a much-needed respite from the limelight.  Still others who know her insist she is still eyeing a bid for President in 2012.  Veteran political consultant Holly Robichaud, who arranged the first of three interviews I had with Palin last year, insisted to me “I always said she would consider not running for governor but it could be to prepare for a presidential race in three years.  Getting out of politics is not something on her horizon.”

For now, the only safe bet is that Palin’s July 3rd shocker knocks Mark Sanford off the front pages.