Washington - Republican presidential hopeful John McCain announced little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate on Friday, a choice that brings strong conservative credentials to the ballot. Palin, 44, was a surprise pick because of her low profile in national politics. But her addition to the ticket could help McCain win the support of the Republican right that has been skeptical of his candidacy.
"I found someone with an outstanding reputation for standing up to special interests and entrenched bureaucracies," McCain said during the announcement at a rally in Dayton, Ohio.
McCain said Palin understands the struggles of the working class and the hardships of the high costs of healthcare. He touted her willingness to stand up to large corporations and oil companies.
"When you get to know her, you are going to be as impressed as I am," he said.
"She's exactly who I need, she's exactly who this country needs, to help me fight the same old Washington politics of 'me first' and 'country second'."
Palin becomes the second female on a vice presidential ticket, following in the footsteps of Geraldine Ferraro, who joined Walter Mondale's failed presidential bid against Ronald Reagan in 1984.
McCain's announcement, which had been a tightly-kept secret, comes ahead of the Republican Party convention set to begin Monday in St Paul, Minnesota, and only hours after Democratic hopeful Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech as the party's nominee in Denver, Colorado.
McCain's stunning choice over more prominent names, such as former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney or Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, has generated a media buzz that could dampen Obama's expected boost in the polls following his convention.
McCain has struggled to gain the enthusiasm of the Republican Party's conservative base, which has been skeptical of some of his moderate views and willingness in the Senate to break with party lines.
In Palin, McCain brings a solid conservative to the ticket. Palin is staunchly pro-life, opposed to gay marriage and is a member of the National Rifle Association, the powerful group that lobbies against laws regulating access to guns.
Palin gives a youthful appearance to the presidential ticket and counters worries that McCain is too old for the job, especially when stacked up against the 47-year-old Obama who has made "change" the main theme of his campaign.
McCain turned 72 on Friday and, if elected, would be the oldest president to begin a first term.
Many political pundits and observers had argued that McCain needed to seek out a conservative to tilt the ticket to the right or risk some Republicans staying home on election day November 4.
Palin might also be able to win over female supporters of Hillary Clinton still disgruntled by her defeat at the hands of Obama.
Palin became the first female governor of Alaska after winning the 2006 election, campaigning on the need to clean up government and by going after the ethical behaviour of the state's Republican leaders.
Palin's pursuit of ethical issues fits nicely with McCain, who has fought for reform in government since becoming embroiled in a finance scandal in the 1980s.
Palin was born in Idaho and her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant. She was the first governor of Alaska to be born after the sparsely-populated state joined the United States in 1959.
Palin began her political career as a member of the Wasilla City Council in 1992, eventually becoming mayor to the town and quickly rising as a statewide figure. She unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor in 2002.
Palin was appointed in 2004 to the post of ethics commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, but later resigned, complaining of the lack of ethics in the commission.
Palin is married to Todd and they have five children. They celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on Friday.
Her oldest son, Track, is a soldier in the US Army and is scheduled for deployment to Iraq in September.
Palin graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor's degree in journalism.
