Bu The Associated Press

Republican U.S. House candidate Chris Lien says he met with Sarah Palin during a trip to Alaska this summer and that she reminds him of his sisters: "independent, assertive and devoted and very sincere."

The meeting was in Anchorage on July 17 - before John McCain picked the Alaska governor to be his running mate.

During their talk, Lien said Palin agreed with his assertion that families in both Alaska and South Dakota just want the tools to work hard to make a better life.

Lien said that when he and six other House candidates met with Palin, a friend turned out to be prescient.

"Wouldn't it be great if they considered our Gov. Palin for vice president?" Lien recalled his friend as saying.

Lien faces Democratic incumbent Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for a two-year House term.

During a campaign stop in Mitchell, the Rapid City businessman said he visited a controversial potential oil-drilling site, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, during his self-funded trip.

Lien said he has been to all 66 South Dakota counties in his campaign, adding that, "you don't need to hire consultants; you just need to talk with the people."

Lien said finding enough money and time to get his message out have been his two biggest challenges.

"We're just trying to get see as many people as we can," he said.