WASHINGTON (AP) - Peach State Republicans say the party's new vice presidential candidate is a strong conservative whose values match up well with Georgia's, and they expressed relief that John McCain didn't pick a more unorthodox running mate that could have upset the core of the party.

Republican Rep. Jack Kingston of Savannah said Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would excite the base and bring a fresh face to the ticket.

Brian Robinson, a spokesman for Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Grantville, said the party is excited about Palin, particularly after McCain was reported to be considering candidates who support abortion rights and even Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Joe Lieberman.

They dismissed suggestions from Democrats about her relative lack of experience, saying her two-year tenure as Alaska's governor shows she's ready to lead.

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