Mitt Romney picks Paul Ryan as VP candidate

Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney has chosen Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, a strong critic of the Obama administration's economic policies, as his running mate for the forthcoming presidential polls in United States.

"I am proud to announce Paul Ryan as my VP," Romney, 65, said on the micro-blogging site Twitter on Saturday.

Soon after, 42-year-old Ryan tweeted, "I'm honoured to join Mitt Romney on America's Comeback Team".

Both the tweets came just after the Romney campaign made the announcement via an iPhone application to his supporters.

"Mitt Romney has announced Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate," the campaign announced.

Ryan is known as a strong critic of the Obama administration, especially his economic plans.

A seventh term Congressman representing Wisconsin's First Congressional District, Ryan is chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Releasing his bio, the Romney campaign described it as 'America's Comeback Team'.

The campaign said that Ryan, as head of the House Budget Committee, has worked tirelessly leading the effort to rein in federal spending and increase accountability to taxpayers.

He also serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he has focused on simplifying the tax code and making healthcare more affordable and accessible.

In January 2010, Ryan gained nationwide attention after unveiling his 'Roadmap for America's Future', a proposal to eliminate the federal deficit, reform the tax code and preserve entitlements for future generations.

Romney has supported his budgetary plan.

Ryan was the youngest member of the Congress when he entered the House of Representative in 1999 at the age of 28 years.

While there was no immediate reaction from the Obama Campaign, US media said the Romney-Ryan team offers a strong challenge to the US President.

"This offers a clear choice for voters", the New York Times said.

"By selecting Ryan, Romney has made a potentially bold but risky move to reset the dynamics of the presidential election. He has chosen the intellectual heart of the movement within the Republican Party to slash deficits and signalled a desire to place the nation's looming fiscal challenges at the center of the campaign's final months," the Washington Post said.

"With his selection, Romney offers voters the starkest possible choice on how to address issues of spending and taxing, embracing Ryan's single-minded focus on reducing the nation's debt without raising taxes," the daily reported.