From the Tuesday Morning Jolt:
Romney 2016. This Is All Your Fault, Allahpundit.
Here’s the good news, Republicans. Mitt Romney is running to save the party from nominating Jeb Bush, and Jeb Bush is running to save the party from nominating Mitt Romney. It’s as if O. Henry moved over into political coverage.
Mitt Romney 2016 has moved from a funny idea to a serious factor in the race in a very short period of time:
Romney has worked the phones over the past few days, calling an array of key allies to discuss his potential 2016 campaign. Among them was Ryan, whom Romney phoned over the weekend to inform him personally of his plans to probably run. Ryan was encouraging, people with knowledge of the calls said.
Other Republicans with whom Romney spoke recently include Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) and Rob Portman (Ohio), former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Hewlett-Packard chief executive Meg Whitman, former Massachusetts senator Scott Brown, former Missouri senator Jim Talent and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (Utah).
Raise your hand if you foresaw Chaffetz on that list.
I’ll be on Hugh Hewitt tonight, around 8:20 Eastern, and Hugh promises the topic of Mitt Romney will come up, and whether Ryan is on board. It’s pretty much unthinkable that Ryan would speak ill of Romney. But there’s this one other buddy in the potential field . . .
Twelve hours ago, Scott Walker Tweeted . . .
.@PRyan is always a class act! pic.twitter.com/80iR3u915g
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) January 13, 2015
There’s nothing in Ryan’s history that suggests he’ll make an unnecessary enemy. Expect him to talk up both men and put off any formal endorsement until one or the other is effectively eliminated.
UPDATE: The Republican party’s center of gravity is in Wisconsin, as the RNC chairman from Wisconsin appoints the congressman from Wisconsin to manage the committee’s expenditures that aim to help their 2016 nominee:
Today RNC Chairman Reince Priebus appointed U.S. Congressman, House Ways and Means Chairman and former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan to serve as Chairman of the Presidential Trust. The trust represents money that will be spent in direct coordination with the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign. Congressman Ryan also served as Presidential Trust Chairman during the 2012 cycle, when the RNC broke multiple fundraising records.
“There is no one better suited for this important role than my friend and my Congressman, Paul Ryan,” said Chairman Priebus. “After previously serving as the chair and running as our party’s vice presidential nominee, he understands the importance of securing these resources early in the cycle. He is one of our party’s most respected and visionary leaders, and I’m grateful that he has agreed to serve in this capacity once again. The Presidential Trust will help finance the expansion of our field operation and the growth of data and digital operations — all in support of our eventual nominee. “
With Paul’s help in 2012, we shattered fundraising records and outraised the DNC, $291 million to $179 million. I look forward to working with Paul to raise the bar even higher this year and ensure we send a Republican to the White House in 2016.”
“It’s an honor to chair the Presidential Trust again,” said Congressman Ryan. “We had a great election in 2014, but we will have to be even better in 2016 if we want to get America back on track. Another Democrat in the White House would mean another four years of the Obama agenda, which has left too many people behind and our nation too deep in debt. Republican candidates will be ready to offer new leadership and new ideas, and the RNC will be ready to provide our nominee the resources to win.”