Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Running with Romney






This past Saturday, presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney was in Norfolk, Virginia aboard the USS Wisconsin to name his running mate for the 2012 presidential campaign. While Governor Romney could have made the announcement from the deck of any battleship he wanted, the selection of the Wisconsin was meant to provide a subtle, or not so subtle clue about who the Governor had selected. That selection was seven-term Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Currently, a large number of voters in America are still getting to know who Paul Ryan is. He was born in Janesville, Wisconsin on January 29, 1970. His father died when Paul was a teenager, and therefore, the young Ryan had to grow up very quickly. He was first elected to Congress in 1998, and continues to serve Wisconsin's first congressional district. Ryan is probably best known for his role as House Budget Committee Chairman. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan pushed through a budget proposal known as, "The Path to Prosperity." The "Ryan Budget" as it has come to be known, has made Paul Ryan a controversial pick in some political circles. Critics of the "Ryan Budget" suggest that the congressman's proposal would end Medicare as we know it by turning the government funded program into a voucher system. Congressman Ryan has already faced hecklers on the campaign trail who are concerned about his stance on the popular program. Unless the Romney/Ryan ticket can assure voters, especially seniors, that Medicare will not change under a Romney/Ryan administration, the duo might have a hard time winning votes in key swing states such as Florida and Ohio which have large senior populations. Paul Ryan supporters are quick to point out that his chairmanship of the House Budget Committee gives the congressman the experience necessary to govern in difficult economic times, and indicates that Governor Romney is making the economy issue number one in the campaign. When asked in recent public opinion polls who they trust more to handle the economy, voters have said Governor Romney. However, a majority of voters in a similar poll stated that they believe President Obama is more concerned than Governor Romney about the middle class. The perception that the Romney/Ryan ticket favors the wealthy over middle class Americans has to be a concern for the Republican ticket. If that perception holds, victory could be tough for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in November. The question remains, can Paul Ryan help deliver Wisconsin (another key swing state) for Mitt Romney in November? Can Paul Ryan truly affect the outcome of this race? Traditionally, a vice-presidential candidate has had little, if any impact on the outcome of a presidential election. Many voters will tell you that they are more concerned with whose name is at the top of the ticket as opposed to who fills the number two slot. Many historians would argue that the last vice-presidential candidate to have an effect on the outcome of a general election was Lyndon Johnson who helped John F. Kennedy carry Johnson's home state of Texas in 1960. While Paul Ryan has energized the Republican ticket for now, it remains to be seen if that energy and enthusiasm will last among Republican voters. You can bet Mitt Romney hopes it does, at least through November 6th.