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.