Tenn. Congressman Marsha Blackburn may very well be a part of history in the making when senator and presidential hopeful John McCain names his running mate.

Blackburn, a native of Jones County, could become the first female Vice-President of the United States.

Blackburn, 56, grew up in the Powers community outside of Laurel, where her parents, Hilman and Mary Jo Wedgeworth, and many relatives still reside. Her father worked for National Supply and her mother was a homemaker. Blackburn was an active member of the 4-H Club and graduated from Northeast Jones High School. She received a 4-H scholarship which she used to attend Mississippi State University, graduating in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

While attending Mississippi State, Blackburn worked for Southwestern Company, a business contracting mostly college students to sell books door-to-door.

Moving to Nashville, she eventually worked her way up to sales manager with the company. It was through Southwestern that she met her husband, Chuck.

At age 25, Blackburn was a founding member of the Williamson County Young Republicans.

In 1978, she began her own company, Marketing Strategies, which works with retail organizations to put products in the marketplace.

"I threw a sheet to the wind starting that company. It is basic entrepreneurship," said Blackburn.

Before entering politics in 1989 as chairman of the Williamson County, Tennessee Republican Party, Blackburn and her husband Chuck, started a family. Their daughter, Mary Morgan Ketchel, 30, now owns her own business, MK Fundraising and Events. Their son, Chad, works in sales on the West Coast.

In 1998, Blackburn ran for and won a seat in the Tennessee state senate. She became well known across Tennessee for her very public opposition to former Republican Governor Don Sundquist's proposed state income tax.

"The Governor brought it to the legislature and I fought against it," she said.

Blackburn even led street rallies against the proposal.

"It was a grassroots battle and was a great victory for the people of Tennessee, who did not want it," Blackburn added. "One reason Tennessee is very economically strong today is because it has no income tax."

With a victory in the income tax battle, Blackburn set out for higher office - Congress. Although unsuccessful when she ran in 1992, Blackburn garnered 41 percent of the vote to four-term incumbent Bart Gordon who had held the seat since 1985 when it was vacated by former Vice-President Al Gore, Jr.

A decade later and new Congressional boundaries proved beneficial to Blackburn, as she swamped her Democratic opponent with 71 percent of the vote. She went on to win re-election twice more, and is currently favored to win a fourth term in the seventh district which is widely considered the most conservative district in the state.

Although she's surrounded by men in Congress, Blackburn refuses to use her gender as an issue.

"You always will have people who say gender is a hindrance or a help. I'm just privileged to serve with many great men and women. I hope more women will run for Congress," Blackburn said, noting that there aren't many conservative women serving with her.

And conservative is exactly what she is. Racking up a 2007 conservative rating of 100 percent by the ACU (American Conservative Union), Blackburn is one of the most conservative members of Congress, earning a lifetime rating of 98 percent.

She has held many positions within the Republican Congressional Caucus. She served as Assistant Majority Whip her first term, Assistant Minority Whip her second term, and currently serves as House Deputy Whip. With such a conservative record and strong fiscal and social credentials, many Republican leaders want her to run for higher office - possibly governor of Tennessee in 2010 - but Blackburn won't speculate. She's focused on her current office.

"I don't look at what will be potentially. Right now, I'm running for re-election and I'm looking toward that campaign," Blackburn said, noting that her future is "God's job."

Since she joined the House, Rep. Blackburn has served on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the oldest standing House committee - and now, as the price of gas is record-high, the one getting more and more media coverage. As for the solution to getting off of foreign oil, Blackburn chooses an "all-of-the-above strategy."

"There isn't one bill that will work. It will take several components," noted Blackburn. She supports offshore drilling and drilling in ANWR, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a barren, frozen-over land located in Northeastern Alaska. It has currently been off-limits because drilling has been perceived as threatening to certain species who call the area home. As the price of oil has skyrocketed, however, many lawmakers have decided to run the risk of drilling, while others believe with new technology, the risk, if any, is minimal.

"President Clinton's veto of [drilling in] ANWR hurt the people, and put us in the position we're in today. We need to see action," Blackburn said. "When President Bush lifted the presidential ban on offshore drilling, the price per barrel dropped eight dollars. (Last week), it dropped just under $125."

For months now, as political pundits look through polling crosstabs and demographic breakdowns, analysts have come up with several names that would be good Vice-presidential choices for McCain, and Blackburn's name has been mentioned many times, most recently in the Los Angeles Times by well-known political journalist Jonah Goldberg.

Noted in the article was that Rep. Blackburn would "please the [conservative] base and put the gender card in play," that she was a "low-risk choice," and that if McCain wants to choose a woman, Blackburn would be the best choice. Although many pundits believe she has a shot, Blackburn disagrees.

"That's a hypothetical. It's always an honor to be considered for other offices, but it's not going to be me," Blackburn said, adding that she expects McCain to pick someone who can help him geographically by bringing a swing or normally Democratic state into the Republican column.

"You'll see Senator McCain choose someone who can bring him a state. Tennessee is reliably Republican."

Though she doesn't believe she will be chosen, Blackburn did have only high remarks for Senator McCain.

"He's a good, solid, seasoned leader. When the American people look at national security, energy security, and moral security, I feel sure they'll support Senator McCain."

No matter where life takes her - to the Senate chambers, the Tennessee Governor's Mansion, or maybe even to the White House - it began in rural Mississippi, and Blackburn doesn't forget it.