DAYTON, OHIO - U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain has chosen a relative unknown, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, as his vice presidential running mate.

McCain announced his selection Friday to a crowd of supporters at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, ahead of next week’s Republican National Convention. He called her the “right partner” with strong principles, a fighting spirit and deep compassion.

This is the first time a woman has run on the Republican party’s national ticket.

Palin, a 44-year-old first term governor, is a conservative on both social and economic issues. The mother of five is a relatively little-known candidate whose selection was widely unexpected. She emerged as a top potential contender just Friday.

McCain’s campaign said he made his choice on Thursday. In doing so, he bypassed several people believed to be top contenders, including former rival and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as well as former Democrat-turned-independent Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

Some observers say the selection of Palin is a huge political risk for McCain, given that, as a first-term governor, she has no national experience.

However, in its formal announcement, the McCain campaign noted her gubernatorial position as head of the Alaska National Guard and her status as the mother of a soldier as evidence that she understands what it takes to lead the nation.

Source:  VOA News