• Des Moines Register endorses Romney

    By NBC’s Alex Moe

    SABINA, OH -- For the first time in four decades, Iowa’s influential newspaper endorsed a Republican candidate for president as The Des Moines Register announced Saturday night its support of Gov. Mitt Romney in the November election.

    The Register, in an editorial that will run in Sunday’s paper, asks voters to give Romney "a chance to correct the nation’s fiscal course and to implode the partisan gridlock that has shackled Washington and the rest of America."

    In 2008, the Register endorsed Barack Obama. The last Republican to win the support of the paper was Richard Nixon in 1972.

    “Barack Obama rocketed to the presidency from relative obscurity with a theme of hope and change. A different reality has marked his presidency. His record on the economy the past four years does not suggest he would lead in the direction the nation must go in the next four years,” the editorial posted on the Register’s website said.

    “Voters should give Mitt Romney a chance to correct the nation’s fiscal course and to implode the partisan gridlock that has shackled Washington and the rest of America — with the understanding that he would face the same assessment in four years if he does not succeed,” the editorial piece ended.

    The announcement from Iowa’s largest newspaper comes just days after President Obama had an off-the-record then turned on-the-record conversation with the publisher and editor of the Register that prompted an op-ed from the paper about the condition of the interview.

    Romney has some ground to make up in the state, which awards six electoral votes, as last week’s NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll of Iowa showed Romney trailing Obama in the state -– 51 percent to 43 percent. Romney narrowly lost the Iowa Caucus back in January to former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.

    When voters receive their Sunday paper in the morning, they will not only find the editorial endorsing Romney but also a copy of the “Mittzine”-– a pro-Romney superPAC publication about the GOP nominee and being dropped in five battleground states

    Romney travels to Davenport, Iowa, on Monday for a rally. His running mate, Paul Ryan, is also expected to head back to the Hawkeye State within the next nine days leading up to the election.

  • Paul Ryan not running for president

    By Domenico Montanaro, Deputy Political Editor, NBC News

    Rep. Paul Ryan will not be running for president.

    "While humbled by the encouragement," the Wisconsin congressman said in a statement, "I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our party's nomination for President." 

    Because of dissatisfaction with the Republican field from the establishment wing of the party, there have been continued rumblings of a Ryan or Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) candidacy.

    Ryan has been a hero of conservatives for his budget plan that cut and restructured entitlements. But, because of his budget, he has also been a lightning rod, attracting criticism from the left for proposing partially privatizing Medicare.

    Full statement below, posted on Ryan for Congress:

    "I sincerely appreciate the support from those eager to chart a brighter future for the next generation.  While humbled by the encouragement, I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our party's nomination for President. I remain hopeful that our party will nominate a candidate committed to a pro-growth agenda of reform that restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation. I remain grateful to those I serve in Southern Wisconsin for the unique opportunity to advance this effort in Congress."

  • Ryan spokesman: Encouraged by support, but 'not changed his mind'

    By Domenico Montanaro, Deputy Political Editor, NBC News

    A report out today from the Weekly Standard notes that Congressman Paul Ryan is considering a run for the presidency.

    AP

    Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

    In response to the story, Ryan's spokesman acknowledges that the congressman -- who has taken criticism for his budget plan that would partially privatize Medicare -- has been encouraged to run.

    "While grateful for the continued support and encouragement, Congressman Ryan has not changed his mind," spokesman Kevin Seifert told NBC by email.

    Seifert also points to Ryan's appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, in which he said, "I'm not running for president," but that "You never know what opportunities present themselves way down the road."

    Here's that full question and answer:

    Meet the Press, May 22, 2011:

    MR. GREGORY: Understood. There's a little bit of door opening there, though, the door's a bit ajar. And you know how, you know how this works.

    Rep. Ryan: It's not door opening, it's just--I do know how this works, and I'm not going to get into all these hypotheticals in the future. My point is I'm not running for president. You never know what opportunities present themselves way down the road. I'm not talking about right now. And I want to focus on fixing the fiscal problems of this country. And I really believe, David, where I am as chairman of the House Budget Committee puts me in a great position to, to be a great contributor to this debate.