(Dayton, Ohio) Republican presidential hopeful John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate Friday.

Palin’s selection was a stunning surprise, as McCain passed over many other better known prospects, some of whom had been the subject of intense speculation for weeks or months.

At 44, Palin is younger than Obama and, like McCain, she calls herself a maverick. A first-term governor she is credited with reforms in her state. 

McCain made the announcement on his 72nd birthday Friday saying he made his pick after looking for a political partner “who can best help me shake up Washington and make it start working again for the people who are counting on us.”

McCain said that Palin was “Exactly who I need. She’s exactly who this country needs to help us fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second.”

Palin has a scant record on LGBT rights but is considered a moderate.

In one of his last acts as governor, Palin’s predecessor Frank Murkowski called the legislature into special session in 2006 to approve a same-sex couples benefits package to comply with a court order declaring the lack of health and pension benefits violated the Alaska constitution.

But rather than approving the plan the House and Senate passed legislation prohibiting the Alaska Commissioner of Administration for implementing the court ruling.

Both houses then voted to endorse a move putting the issue to a statewide plebiscite, asking voters if a constitutional amendment barring gay benefits should go on the 2008 ballot.

Shortly before the January 1, 2007 deadline newly elected governor Palin, vetoed the bill that would have blocked the state from giving the benefits and the plan kicked in at the first of the year. But Palin endorsed the referendum on the issue and she has publicly voiced her opposition to same-sex marriage.

Nevertheless she was hailed by gay Republicans.

“Alaska Governor Sarah Palin can help Sen. McCain win this election by appealing to independent and young voters,” said Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon.

“Gov. Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Sen. McCain appeal to gay and lesbian voters.”

Religious conservatives also praised McCain’s pick.

“It’s an absolutely brilliant choice,” said Mathew Staver, the president of Liberty Counsel and the dean of Liberty University School of Law.

“This will absolutely energize McCain’s campaign and energize conservatives,” he predicted.

Liberty Counsel has been involved in court battles to block LGBT civil rights in a number of states.

But the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization was less than enthused.

“America may not know much about Sarah Palin, but based on what our community has seen of her, we know enough,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

“Sarah Palin not only supported the 1998 Alaska constitutional amendment banning marriage equality but, in her less than two years as Governor, even expressed the extreme position of supporting stripping away domestic partner benefits for state workers.  When you can’t even support giving our community the rights to health insurance and pension benefits, it’s a frightening window into where she stands on equality.”

Palin opposes abortion and is a member of the National Rifle Association.

Republicans kick off their national nominating convention next week in St. Paul, Minn., and McCain’s campaign hopes the announcement of Palin as his running mate will stunt any momentum Obama might get from the just-concluded Democratic National Convention.

With ethics the centerpiece of her campaign, Palin defeated incumbent Gov. Murkowski, who served 22 years in the U.S. Senate before winning the governor’s seat in 2002.

Her task didn’t seem any easier in the general election, but she handily beat Tony Knowles, a popular Democrat who had already served two terms as governor.

Her previous political experience consisted of terms as Wasilla’s mayor and councilwoman and a stint as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

But Palin also comes with her own ethics complaint. She has come under the scrutiny of an investigation by the Republican-controlled legislature into the possibility that she ordered the dismissal of Alaska’s public safety commissioner because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.

Newly minted Democratic nominee Barack Obama is making an aggressive play for the traditional GOP stronghold and its three electoral votes, and polls show the race close.