Here's what we know about Todd Palin, who appears to have filed for divorce from his wife and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin

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Here's what we know about Todd Palin, who appears to have filed for divorce from his wife and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin

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Sarah and Todd Palin
  • Todd Palin, husband of former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, filed for divorce from his wife last Friday.
  • Even when Sarah Palin stepped into the public eye after being tapped to be vice president for Republican presidential nominee John McCain in 2008, Todd himself didn't often make headlines.
  • Here's what we know about Todd Palin.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Todd Palin, husband of former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, filed for divorce from his wife last Friday, according to reports. The couple had been married since 1988.

The complaint cites divorce on the basis of "incompatibility of temperament" and that "they find it impossible to live together as husband and wife," NBC News reported.

The divorce complaint filed at the Anchorage Superior Court only uses initials instead of full names  - SLP (Sarah Louise Palin) and TMP (Todd Mitchell Palin). Details from the filing include dates of birth that match the profiles of both Sarah and Todd, as well as information corresponding to the Palin family as a whole, such as number of children.

Though Sarah Palin stepped into the public eye after being tapped to be vice president for Republican presidential nominee John McCain in 2008, Todd himself didn't often make headlines and avoided publicity, even after the Palin family got into the reality TV show business.

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Here's what we know about Todd Palin:

Read more: Todd Palin, the husband of former Alaska governor and onetime Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, has filed for divorce

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He shares five children with Sarah Palin.

He shares five children with Sarah Palin.

Todd and Sarah Palin share five children: Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and Trig, whom Todd has asked for shared custody, according to the divorce filing.

Source: NBC News

Reports have shown he played a role in his wife's political career when she served as the governor of Alaska.

Reports have shown he played a role in his wife's political career when she served as the governor of Alaska.

While Todd Palin, known informally as the "first dude," did not regularly appear in headlines as much as his wife, he still played a role in her political career when she served as governor of Alaska. Emails obtained by NBC News showed that he regularly communicated with other Alaskan political figures on government affairs.

Sarah Palin became governor of Alaska in 2006 and resigned before the end of her four-year term in 2009, following her time as presidential running mate for the late Sen. John McCain in 2008.

When asked if Todd helps his wife Sarah with her speeches, Jim Palin, Todd's father, told Newsweek in a 2011 interview that "he helps her prepare, but he doesn't critique."

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Known for his talent on a snowmobile, Todd was involved in an unfortunate accident in 2016 that left him with several injuries.

Known for his talent on a snowmobile, Todd was involved in an unfortunate accident in 2016 that left him with several injuries.

Todd Palin was known for his prowess on a snowmobile after winning Alaska's Iron Dog snowmobile race four times, Newsweek reported. His wife Sarah even made a bid for him to get his own reality TV show showcasing his passion.

However, in one of the few times he made headlines, Todd sustained "broken and fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken shoulder blade, a broken clavicle, and leg injuries" in a snowmobile accident in 2016, NBC News reported.

Read more: Sarah Palin cancels appearance at Trump event after husband injured in 'very serious' snowmobile crash

In December 2017, Sarah and Todd's eldest son, Track Palin, was accused of breaking into his parents' home and assaulting his father.

In December 2017, Sarah and Todd's eldest son, Track Palin, was accused of breaking into his parents' home and assaulting his father.

In December 2017, Sarah and Todd's eldest son, Track Palin, was accused of breaking into his parents' home. Track was also accused with assaulting his father when Todd confronted him with a gun, leaving Todd with bleeding cuts on his head, The Washington Post reported.

Track pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in veteran's court, NBC News reported.

Sarah Palin posted a picture of her husband on Instagram a few weeks after the attack.

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