Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has decided not to pursue a bid for the 2012 GOP nomination for president.
“I can be on the right path without being a candidate,” Palin said in on the Mark Levin radio show in an interview Wednesday.
She also said she would not consider a third-party bid.
A source close to the Palin family told CNN, "It's exactly how she laid it out. She came to a decision through family and through prayer. I'm not sure it was more than that. What she was telling people was exactly what it was.
"It's a life-altering proposition and she really spent a lot of time talking with her family and being with her family. I think its pretty straightforward."
In a written statement, the 2008 Republican nominee for vice president said "After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order."
A CNN/ORC International Poll of registered voters in late September showed Palin trailing Obama in a hypothetical 2012 general election matchup, 58% to 37%. The poll had a sampling error of plus or minus 3 points.
Source: CNN