Staunch Marriage Equality Opponent Sarah Palin Getting Divorced

The former governor of Alaska and John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential race, Sarah Palin, has long believed solely in "traditional marriage" between one man and one woman. Now her husband of 31 years, Todd Palin, has filed for divorce citing "incompatibility of temperament" as the reason, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

In the paperwork filed August 29, Todd Palin, 55, said they "find it impossible to live together as husband and wife."

The Palins have five children together. Their eldest son, Track Palin, has remained in the news since Sarah Palin largely faded from the public eye. He was in custody for a year for assaulting a female acquaintance. On another occasion, he was arrested for breaking into the family home and leaving his father with cuts and bruises.

Sarah Palin was McCain's Republican vice-presidential pick in his run against President Barack Obama at a time when there was heightened discussion around marriage equality.

While Sarah Palin says that she has gay friends and once complied with same-sex partner benefits in her state, she is staunchly against the rights of same-sex couples to marry. As Alaska's governor, she supported amending the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage. She also said that she did not support spousal benefits for same-sex partners of state employees.

"I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution," she said.