Romney Rounds Out Ticket With Ryan VP Choice

GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney selected Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his Vice-presidential nominee.

Ryan, 42, is a seven-term Congressman from the swing state of Wisconsin. A darling of the conservative movement, Ryan is the principal architect of the GOP budget strategy, which has centered on deficit reduction, entitlement reform and tax restructuring.

“Governor Romney is the man for this moment, and he and I share one commitment: We will restore the dreams and greatness of this country,” Ryan said in a Saturday morning rally announcing his selection.

REACTION
Reaction from the left and the right was fairly predictable as Ryan has been a major player on the national scene during the last two years.

As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan has headed efforts to reshape the federal budget.

Republican and conservative leaders hailed the selection noting that Ryan has the ability to hold his own in policy debates, is dedicated to a more limited government-free market vision for America, and comes across as friendly and likable in interviews and public forums.

Democrats and liberals view Ryan as good for their cause and problematic for the GOP ticket. They suggest that his voting record on Bush era policies, his high-profile role in the budget debate, and his connection to an unpopular Congress helps the Democratic ticket of Obama-Biden.

Chris Cillizza with the Washington Post’s The Fix offers analysis of the winners and losers in Romney’s pick of Ryan.

Here is a link to the biography of Ryan and a link to his speech from his selection announcement Saturday morning.