When Leanne Wood announced she was standing in the Plaid Cymru leadership race, she was regarded by many as the rank outsider, given her more junior position within the party.
Not only was the 40-year-old the youngest candidate, but the Welsh Assembly Member hadn't held top political positions, unlike former cabinet member Elin Jones and former presiding officer Lord Elis-Thomas.
But the Tonypandy Comprehensive School product soon struck a chord with many party members, particularly the younger generation.
As well as being well-known for her strong anti-war and socialist beliefs, staunch republican Miss Wood is famed for being the first AM to be ordered out of the Siambr in the Senedd.
In 2004, she was accused of "insulting" the Queen when she referred to the monarch during an official visit as "Mrs Windsor".
She later said: "I don't recognise the Queen. I called her that because that's her name."
And three years later she was arrested during an anti-nuclear demonstration in Faslane, Scotland.
But despite her brush with controversy, and the fact she is not a fluent Welsh speaker, Miss Wood has continued to remain a popular figure within her party.
After joining Plaid in 1991, the former Probation Service and Women's Aid worker was elected to the National Assembly in 2003 and has held on to her South Wales Central seat ever since.
One of the cornerstones of her appeal, her supporters say, is that she remains down-to-earth and is "a woman of the people", still living on the same street where she grew up.
In recent months, the mother of one has been vocal in her criticism of the UK Government and the banking sector, accusing them both of betraying the working classes.
She also won plaudits following her two-year battle over spending concerns at the Wales Audit Office, which later revealed the organisation had spent more than £200,000 of public money in 12 months on legal advice.
During the leadership race, the Rhondda-born politician secured the most nominations from party members, including influential figures such as former MP Adam Price and former Plaid president Dafydd Iwan.
On a number of occasions Miss Wood has repeated her desire for Welsh independence. She had previously said she would like to see a referendum on the issue by 2020.
A recent BBC/ICM poll revealed only 7% of Welsh voters were in favour of breaking away from the UK.