Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney is planning to tap Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his running mate, and the political sphere is wondering if the selection will help woo the more conservative base of the party.
The 42-year-old congressman is widely considered a rising star in the GOP. Most known for his controversial budget proposal and health care reforms, Ryan advocates for a small and limited government, which he believes will mean less bureaucracy and a small deficit.
As the architect for the Republican Party's budget plan, Ryan called for more tax cuts for the rich and middle class, and fewer food stamp programs for the poor. He also advocated transforming Medicare into a voucher program and turning Medicaid over to the states.
Ryan has represented Wisconsin in Congress since 1999, during which time he has voted for the ill-conceived invasion of Iraq, the TARP bailout and the bailout of Detroit automakers. Yet he still managed to appeal to voters in his moderate district and win seven terms in office.
Ryan is a Catholic, a husband and the father of three children. However, he's never run a state-wide campaign and has no foreign policy experience.
Will Ryan appeal to voters beyond his home state? And more importantly, will he energize conservatives to back Romney, a presidential candidate with a more moderate past? Only time will tell.
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