PROFILE: Palin brings reform record, conservative credentials

By Chris Cermak and Mike McCarthy Sep 4, 2008, 2:34 GMT

Bristol Palin (L) daughter of Sarah Palin holds hands with her boyfriend and fiance Levi Johnston (R) who is the father of her unborn baby on stage with her family while attending the 2008 Republican National Convention in the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA 03 September 2008. The convention is scheduled to run through 04 September where Arizona Senator John McCain is expected to receive the Republican nomination as presidential candidate. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH

Washington - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has made her name as a politician unafraid of fighting corruption, challenging party bigwigs and offering a staunchly conservative perspective on social issues.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain's pick of the 44- year-old Palin as his running mate has energized a Republican base skeptical of McCain's moderate positions on domestic issues and his history of clashing with the religious right leaders.

Palin, who accepted the nomination on Wednesday, has been thrust into the media spotlight since McCain announced his pick last week. Reporters have descended on Alaska to find out more about the little- known governor.

With Palin, McCain has enlisted someone who is an outspoken, staunchly pro-life candidate who opposes gay marriage and backs other traditional Republican causes.

She's a member of the National Rifle Association, the powerful group that lobbies against regulating access to guns. As governor, she brings executive experience to Arizona Senator McCain's presidential bid.

Palin became the first female governor of Alaska after winning the 2006 election by campaigning on the need to clean up government and by going after the ethical behaviour of the state's Republican leaders.

She defeated incumbent governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary before knocking off her Democratic opponent - also a former governor - to take charge of Alaska. As governor she currently has an approval rating of about 80 per cent.

Palin's pursuit of ethical issues fits nicely with McCain, 72, who has fought for reform in government since becoming embroiled in a finance scandal in the 1980s. McCain also championed a law to reform campaign finance.

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 of about 8,000 people 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.

But her record on corruption has been called into question over the firing of the state's top police chief, a potential scandal that has been a hot topic in Alaska for months.

The state legislature has launched an investigation into whether Palin forced his resignation, after he refused to fire a state trooper and her ex brother-in-law who was embroiled in a nasty custody battle with Palin's sister.

Her conservative beliefs were also placed in the media spotlight after it emerged on Monday that her 17-year-old daughter was pregnant. The Palins said she planned to marry the father.

Palin has little foreign policy experience and Democrats have questioned whether she could serve as commander in chief, should something happen to a president McCain. Republicans have pointed to her role as head of the Alaskan National Guard and her travels to Kuwait to visit the state's troops.

Palin is married to Todd and they have five children. Her oldest son, Track, is a soldier in the US Army and is scheduled for deployment to Iraq in September. Her youngest son Trig, born just this year, suffers from Down syndrome.

Palin graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor's degree in journalism and spent her early career as a sportscaster.

In high school, she played basketball and was known as 'Sarah Barracuda' for her fierce style of play, and in 1984 she was runner- up in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant.