Paul Ryan: I'm Not Running

Wisconsin GOP congressman puts rumor to rest
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 22, 2011 4:41 PM CDT
Republican Congressman Paul Ryan Will Not Run in 2012 Election
US House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Republican Representative from Wisconsin, announced today that he will not run in next year's presidential election.   (Getty Images)

So much for rumors that Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan will enter the GOP fray for the Oval Office. He nixed that today, the Wall Street Journal reports. "While humbled by the encouragement, I have not changed my mind," he said. Ryan has slammed the current crop of Republican candidates, saying they lack a clear anti-government-spending program. Critics have said Ryan lacks a strong enough base to compete in early primaries and enthuse big party donors for a presidential run.

"I just have yet to see a strong and principled articulation of the kind of limited government, opportunity-society path that we would provide as an alternative to the Obama cradle to grave welfare state," Ryan said recently. In his statement today, Ryan remained "hopeful that our party will nominate a candidate committed to a pro-growth agenda of reform that restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation." (More Paul Ryan stories.)

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