Not only has Sarah Palin decided not to run for re-election as Alaska governor -- she's decided to leave office at the end of this month.

It's adding to speculation that she's going to focus on a run for the White House in 2012.

The surprise announcement was made at Palin's home in Wasila.

The former GOP vice presidential candidate says she'll step down on July 26. But she's not announcing her plans after that.

In a statement released by her office, Palin says once she made the decision not to seek re-election, she also decided that if she were to "embrace the conventional Lame Duck status," it would amount to "another dose of politics as usual."

She said that's something she "campaigned against and will always oppose."