Breaking: Congressman Paul Ryan Says It’s Romney! (VIDEO)

After spending time on the House floor yesterday overseeing the passing of his budget plan, Congressman Paul Ryan (Republican Chairman of the House Budget Committee) appeared this morning on FOX & Friends to. . .

ENDORSE MITT ROMNEY!

“I am convinced that Mitt Romney has the skills, the tenacity, the courage and the principles to get America back on track.”

Coming on the heels of endorsements from President Bush 41 and Senator Marco Rubio, the backing from Ryan essentially signals a primary wind-up.

It’s over.

Ryan said he’d put in an earlier call to Rick Santorum to alert him of his pending endorsement of Romney. He also stressed the fact that America is at a crossroads and the necessity of coalescing now behind Governor Romney.

Ryan’s endorsement comes just day’s ahead of Wisconsin’s primary (his home state).

Stay tuned for more details!

UPDATE: When asked who he will support, here is what Paul Ryan said:

Mitt Romney. Here is the point, we vote on Tuesday here in Wisconsin. Lots of my friends, family and supporters are asking me, who do we think we should vote for? I have two criteria I’m using to make my decision to vote in our primary on Tuesday. Who is the best person to be President – who will make the best President? And who has the best chance of defeating Barak Obama? In my opinion, Mitt Romney is clearly that person.

Here’s the other point. I spent a good deal of time with Mitt Romney and his staff recently going through our country’s fiscal situation, talking about what it will take to get the country back on track. I am convinced Mitt Romney has the skills, the tenacity, the principles, the courage and the integrity to do what it takes to get America back on track. So I believe he’s the right person for the job. And I think this primary has been productive, I think it’s been constructive up until now. I think it’s made the candidates better. But I think we’re entering a phase where it could become counterproductive if it drags on much longer. That’s why I think we as conservatives need to coalesce around Mitt Romney and focus on the big task at hand, which is defeating Barak Obama in the fall.

UPDATE 2 - Governor Romney tweeted:

With @RepPaulRyan’s support, I have every confidence that we can begin the hard work of setting our country on a better course.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 30, 2012

UPDATE 3 - From The Washington Post

Wisconsin is holding its primary on Tuesday, but Ryan’s endorsement will resonates far outside his home state. Ryan, a proponent of deep cuts in entitlements and agency funding, has become the leading voice on debt and spending issues in the Republican party.

His blessing of Romney comes on the heels of endorsements from former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former president George H.W. Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)–clear signs that Republican leaders young and old, from both the tea party and establishment wings, are ready for this primary season to be over.

UPDATE 4 - Romney’s statement:

“When the history of this chapter of American politics is written, I venture to say that Paul Ryan will occupy a significant place in the story of how our country rescued itself from financial disaster. Congressman Ryan has not only thought deeply and creatively about how to bring our extraordinary budget shortfall under control, but he has demonstrated the leadership to bring Americans together to put his bold reforms into practice. In the battle for fiscal responsibility, we have been facing gale force headwinds from the Democratic Party and from the Obama White House. But with Paul Ryan’s support, I have every confidence that we can overcome those headwinds, recapture the White House for the American people, and begin the hard work of setting our country on a better course. I am profoundly grateful to Congressman Ryan for his endorsement today. I am even more grateful for all the hard work he has done to help turn around our country and restore it to greatness.”

(emphasis added)

► Jayde Wyatt