Beauty queen who pipped Sarah Palin in Miss Alaska eyes political career

London, May 1 (ANI): The woman who outshone Sarah Palin to clinch the Miss Alaska crown is now set to enter the political arena.

Maryline Blackburn, 48, a Democrat, is planning to contest the polls for a seat in the Georgia state House of Representatives.

She will try to win over the seat from the Republican incumbent, Rich Golick, in District 34, in the Atlanta suburb of Smyrna.

Blackburn, an accomplished singer who has received a Grammy nomination twice, was crowned Miss Alaska in 1984.

Palin, who was already Miss Wasilla, had to remain satisfied with the second runner-up's position.

Blackburn left Alaska for Georgia before Palin attracted attention from across the US as John McCain's running mate for the White House on the Republican ticket in 2008.

"I was surprised because when we competed, she didn't show any interest in politics," the Telegraph quoted Blackburn, as saying last year.

She added: "I was very proud of her. I was excited because I competed with her and she is a female, so that is another notch in the lipstick case for women.

"We aren't just stay-at-home moms. We can have a career, too, and be involved in politics."

However, Blackburn also said Palin, who was given the title Miss Congeniality in the 1984 beauty contest, was "calculating."

Blackburn said: "Everybody liked her, but I could tell she was very calculating.

"She was always asking questions, figuring out what she needed to do to get ahead." (ANI)