Romney to pick Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as VP running mate: Report

Washington, Aug 11 (ANI): US presidential candidate Mitt Romney is set to name Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, a Republican familiar with the matter has revealed.

According to the Republican, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Romney is expected to introduce Ryan during a rally today.

On Thursday, Romney fueled the buzz around Ryan, saying he wants a vice president with 'a vision for the country, that adds something to the political discourse about the direction of the country.'

According to The New York Post, many Republicans took that as an indication that Ryan had shot to the top of a short-list said to include Ohio Senator Rob Portman and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty .

The report said that conservative pundits have been urging Romney to choose Ryan in large part because of his authorship of a House-backed budget plan that seeks to curb overall entitlement spending and changes Medicaid into a voucher-like system to save costs.

According to the paper, Ryan on the ticket could help Romney become more competitive in Wisconsin, a state Obama won handily four years ago, but that could be much tighter this November. (ANI)