Mitt Romney on Saturday officially
announced he has picked Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan as his
running mate.
On the battleship U.S.S. Wisconsin,
Romney, the likely GOP candidate for president, addressed a crowd of
supporters.
“It is an honor to announce my
running mate and the next vice president of the United States: Paul
Ryan,” Romney told a cheering crowd.
The 42-year-old Ryan, who is best known
for his proposed changes to Medicare, kept his remarks on the
economy, blaming President Barack Obama for the faltering economy and
saying the president failed to act when he had the opportunity.
The addition of Ryan boosts the GOP
ticket's opposition to gay rights.
Both men oppose gay marriage. As
governor of Massachusetts, Romney prevented out-of-state gay couples
from marrying there after the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalized
such unions. Last year, he signed a pledge stating that he would
work against its legalization, including amending the U.S.
Constitution to limit marriage to heterosexual couples.
Ryan twice voted in support of the
failed Federal Marriage Amendment.
“Marriage is not simply a legal
arrangement between individuals,” he said in explaining his vote.
“The institution of marriage is an integral part of our civil
society and its significance goes well beyond eligibility and similar
considerations. Its future should not be left to a few overreaching
judges or local officials to decide.”
Romney and Ryan oppose gay troops
serving openly. Romney opposed repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,”
though he later stated that his opposition stemmed from enacting such
a change during war time.
Ryan voted against repeal of the
military policy.
Across the board, Ryan disagrees with
the policy positions of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's
largest gay rights advocate, earning him a zero on the group's latest
scorecard.
A national campaign supported by 2
Democratic Super PACs charge Romney with a
failed gay rights record.