( CNN ) -- Navigating the political waters in her own family , says one ally , likely prepared Kathleen Sebelius well for the partisan cauldron she 's now enduring in Washington over the rocky rollout of the Obamacare website . The embattled Health and Human Services Secretary was the daughter of a Democratic governor of Ohio , then became the daughter-in-law of a Republican Congressman from Kansas . Her husband is a federal magistrate . `` You know , when you 've got a father and father-in-law who are from different political parties , both outspoken . ... I think she learned a great deal from that and I think it has served her very well , '' says Ron Pollack of the healthcare advocacy group Families USA . Sebelius will need every ounce of that experience . Republicans in Washington are ramping up their calls for her resignation . She 'll very likely face intense questioning next week , when she testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the problems with Healthcare.gov , the sign-up website for President Barack Obama 's sweeping healthcare plan . Ryan : Sebelius should step down over Obamacare . Obamacare website developers : It 's not our fault . The scrutiny is only getting tougher as Sebelius dodged questions about enrollment numbers and why the administration was n't better prepared before the rollout . In an exclusive interview with CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Tuesday , Sebelius was asked twice if she would consider resigning . One of her responses : `` I think my job is to get this fully implemented and to get the website working right . And that 's really what I 'm focused on . '' Gupta : 5 surprises from Sebelius interview . Sebelius ' Obamacare damage control fuels critics ' fire . The healthcare wars are nothing new to her . A Catholic , she drew the wrath of the Church when , as Governor of Kansas , she vetoed a restrictive anti-abortion bill . But as the nation 's Health Secretary , she made a decision contrary to her pro-choice record , overruling an FDA recommendation to make the so-called `` morning after pill '' available over the counter to females under 17 . As Governor she tried and failed to finance expanded health coverage through cigarette taxes . Earlier , as the state 's Insurance Commissioner , she fought to bring premiums down . But one critic says she drove insurers out of the state . `` There was a significant rise in regulations placed on healthcare , which drove the cost of providing healthcare in Kansas up , '' said Todd Tiahrt , a former Republican Congressman from Kansas . `` I think that was the most significant reason , that 's why they departed . They felt like they were in a position where it was not profitable to do business in Kansas . So it limited our choices for healthcare providers , '' Tiahrt said . But Pollack defends Sebelius on that score . `` Her first focus is how to help consumers , how to help patients . And she has been on that side all along , '' he says . Born in Cincinnati , Sebelius was the daughter of the late John 'Jack ' Gilligan , who served as Ohio 's Governor from 1971-1975 . They became the first father/daughter pair to serve as governors , with her election in 2002 . John Gilligan died in August of this year . Sebelius 's husband , Gary , is a federal magistrate judge in Kansas . They have two grown sons . Sebelius 's father-in-law , Keith Sebelius , was a conservative Republican congressman from Kansas from 1969-1981 . One of Keith Sebelius 's top aides was current Republican Sen. Pat Roberts , who considers himself a longtime friend of the Sebelius family . But Roberts was among the first members of Congress to call for the Secretary 's resignation . Some Sebelius allies believe Roberts turned on her because he 's got a primary challenge from a tea party supported candidate . Roberts spokeswoman Sarah Little denies that . She says Roberts was a longtime opponent of Obamacare , but the `` last straw '' for him was when Sebelius went on a public speaking tour just as the rollout calamity began . `` When the ship was sinking , '' Little says . CNN 's Lesa Jansen contributed to this report .
Sebelius from prominent politcal family in Kansas . Republicans ramp up calls for her to resign due to Obamacare website problems . One ally says she is focused on consumers and patients . As Kansas Governor , she tried to finance expanded health coverage through cigarette taxes .