Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Former Miss Alaska Contestant

has multiple claims to fame. She is Alaska's first female governor and currently enjoys an unheard of 84% approval rating by her constituency. She is also the youngest governor at age 42 and very attractive.

Governor Palin took office just one year ago in December 2006. Her husband Todd is a commercial fisherman and they have four children. The oldest son is in the Army. The family lives 40 miles from Anchorage.

Palin was a high school standout basketball player. She played point guard and helped her team to win the State basketball championship in 1982. Two years later she won the title of Miss Wasilla, and went on to compete in the Miss Alaska pageant. She didn't win the crown but did earn the Miss Congeniality title. She went on to earn a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.

She served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and two terms as Mayor of Wasilla, the fastest growing city in Alaska. She made a bid for Lt. Governor in 2002 but lost that election. She has earned a reputation of being a bit of a maverick because of accusations she has made against some fellow Republicans for ethics issues.

Some members of the media used Palin's attractiveness to spin their coverage of her run for governor. She was elected to office in November 2006. In July 2007, Sarah Palin was heralded by the national media as the most popular governor in the United States.

She eats moose burgers and rides snowmobiles and is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Most important of all, the residents of Alaska believe in her ability to lead. Palin has a bright future and is young enough to be able to set her sights as high as she likes. We'll be watching this woman and will be anticipating even greater things in her future.

Check out photo gallery below.





