Paul Ryan

1998 House Race

In 1998, Rep. Mark Neumann (R-Wis.) ran unsuccessfully for Sen. Russ Feingold’s (D-Wis.) seat and Ryan went after the open House seat. He faced Kenosha County alderwoman Lydia Spottswood, who had lost to Neumann in 1996. Both candidates spent more than $1 million on the campaign, but Ryan won, 57 to 43 percent. “I’m going to work my butt off for you guys!” he shouted in his victory speech. Ryan has not faced a serious re-election threat since. 

In 2007, Ryan defeated Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) to become the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee. Crenshaw was first in seniority; Ryan was 13th.Gilbert, Craig, “Ryan named as top Republican on Budget,” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 8, 2006 Ryan also sits on the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy, health care, and Social Security; he is on its Social Security and Select Revenue Measures Subcommittees.

Ryan married Janna Little, a Washington tax attorney and former aide to a Congressional Democrat, in December 2001.Sauer, Bobbie Kyle, “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Paul Ryan,” U.S. News & World Report, July 23,2008 They live with their three children in Janesville, where Ryan was born and raised. He is an avid fisherman and bowhunter.

Health-Care Reform

Ryan's plan to reform the health-care system shot into the spotlight in early 2010 when President Obama complemented it as a "serious proposal" during a bipartisan health-care meeting.Altman Alex, Time, "Paul Ryan: The GOP's Answer to the 'Party of No,'" Feb. 17, 2010

But actually, Ryan had been fighting a somewhat lonely battle to control runaway federal spending for years, releasing his first version of his "Roadmap for America's Future" in 2008.Roadmap for America's Future, accessed Feb. 24, 2010

Overall, the roadmap tries to reduce the budget deficit by reforming entitlement programs like Social Security (people under 55 could opt-in to individual retirement accounts, while the program would remain as is for those over 55) and Medicare (people 54 and under would, once eligible for the program, receive vouchers to buy private insurance, with the age of eligibility slowly increasing to 70). Samuelson, Robert, The Washington Post, "Paul Ryan's lonely challenge: controlling runaway deficits," Feb. 12, 2010

In terms of health care, Ryan's plan promises "universal access" to health care through tax credits ($2,300 for individuals and $5,700 for families) "to purchase coverage in any state, and keep it with them if they move or change jobs." It establishes state-based exchanges in order to create a "one-stop marketplace to purchase affordable health insurance without being discriminated against based on pre-existing conditions."Roadmap for America's Future, accessed Feb. 24, 2010

The Economy

Ryan was in the minority of House Republicans who voted for the $700 billion financial industry bailout in October 2008.Final Vote Results for Roll Call 681 Before the vote, Ryan said, “This bill offends my principles. But I’m going to vote for this bill in order to preserve my principles, in order to preserve this free enterprise system,” adding, “I think the White House bungled this thing.”“Congressional Leaders on the Bailout Bill,” The New York Times, Sept. 30, 2008

Ryan also supported federal assistance for the auto industry, but disagreed with the Bush administration’s plan to fund an auto bailout with a portion of that $700 billion. Ryan has a General Motors plant in his district that was set to close and had previously stated his support to use funds set aside to encourage fuel efficiency.Potente, Joe, “Bailout Accomplished: Automakers to get $17 billion,” Kenosha News, Dec. 20, 2008 “Allowing the Big Three to access funds from the financial rescue package creates a dangerous precedent for other corporations to lay claim to TARP funds,” Ryan said in December 2008.“Ryan criticizes deal for automakers,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 19, 2008

From his position as the ranking minority member on the House Budget Committee, Ryan oversaw the Republicans’ alternative budget in 2007. It would have cut entitlement spending, extended the Bush tax cuts, and balanced the budget by 2012. It was voted down, 160 to 228.Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition

On the Ways and Mean Committee, Ryan has pushed for higher tax cuts for businesses and has said that George W. Bush’s cuts did not go far enough. Ryan is known for his desire to reduce total government spending, eliminate earmarks and lower the debt burden on future generations. “Whether you’re Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, we can all agree it would be a good thing if we decentralized the concentration of wealth in this country,” Ryan says. “It would be a good thing if we narrowed the gap between rich and poor and disseminated more broadly the wealth in this country,” he said in 2005. Gunn, Erik, "That Hair, Those Eyes, That Plan," Milwaukee Magazine, July 1, 2005