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Ten possible vice-presidential candidates for the GOP ticket

Too soon to start speculating about possible Republican vice-presidential candidates? Evidently not. Mitt Romney's rise to the level of presumptive presidential nominee seems to have given political writers and pundits the go-ahead to begin one of the favored handicapping contests in all of politics.

6. Paul Ryan

CBS News, Chris Usher/AP
Rep. Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin,chairman of the House Budget Committee, speaks during CBS's 'Face the Nation' March 25 in Washington.

  • By Amanda Paulson Staff writer

A congressman from Wisconsin (another swing state!), Paul Ryan is idolized by many Republicans for advocating Medicare reform and for his credentials as a fiscal conservative (see the Ryan plan). He’s another candidate that some in the party were trying to draft to run for president this year.

In some ways Representative Ryan seems like a long shot for vice president – and he also seems among the most disinterested in the job, or even in leaving the House of Representatives – but his name has some of the most buzz among the conservatives who would like to see him on the 2012 ticket.

“The Romney White House will need all the spine stiffening, innovation, public advocacy and boldness it can muster. And really, is there anyone who measures up to Ryan in these areas?” asks Jennifer Rubin in her Right Turn blog in the Washington Post. 

Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard is also dreaming about a Romney-Ryan ticket. “Romney is close to Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida has often been touted as a strong running mate,” he writes. “Both are from critical states. Portman is a Capitol Hill insider, Rubio an outsider skilled as a speaker. Ryan is both.”

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Mark Sappenfield
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