Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and his wife Ann wave at reporters as they arrive in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Aug. 10, 2012. Romney will announce his running mate Saturday morning Aug. 11, 2012 in Norfolk, Va., his campaign said Friday night.
Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan attends a the candle light vigil Tuesday Aug. 7, 2012, In Oak Creek, Wis., for the victims of a mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin on Sunday.NORFOLK, Va. – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has picked Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan to be his running mate, according to a Republican with knowledge of the development. They will appear together Saturday in Norfolk, Va., at the start of a four-state bus tour to introduce the newly minted GOP ticket to the nation.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to disclose the decision.
In a statement issued Friday night, Romney’s campaign would say only that the running mate would be revealed at 9 a.m. EDT at the Nauticus Museum. Berthed at the museum is the USS Wisconsin – which offered a hint about Romney’s choice.
Before Romney’s team issued the statement, all signs seemed to point to Ryan, the seven-term Wisconsin congressman whose nomination could help assuage the conservative base of the party that has been reluctant to fully embrace Romney.
Romney’s preference for a team player cannot be overstated in a campaign led by an inner circle that has worked together for a decade in some cases.