Ryan unveiled as Romney running mate
Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan has been named as the running mate for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
When he was officially unveiled as the Vice Presidential candidate, Mr Ryan pledged to focus on Barack Obama's "record of failure" on the economy in the presidential race.
The Wisconsin congressman, who has served seven terms, is currently chairman of the House Budget Committee. He said: “President Obama and too many like him in Washington have refused to make difficult decisions because they are more worried about their next election than they are about the next generation.”
Mr Romney hailed his new running mate as a "shining exception" to most politicians, saying he could think of no one who "doesn’t respect his character and judgement". However, Mr Romney also made a gaffe at the even, introducing Mr Ryan as the "next President of the United States".
On Friday night Mr Romney telephoned other candidates for the position, including former rival for the Republican nomination Tim Pawlenty, to inform them of his decision and thank them for their help with his campaign effort, a senior Republican aide told the New York Times.