10 Things You Didn't Know About Paul Ryan

The Wisconsin congressman is the vice presidential pick for Mitt Romney

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July 23, 2008 RSS Feed Print
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1. Paul Davis Ryan, the youngest of Paul Sr. and Betty Ryan's four children, was born in Janesville, Wis., on Jan. 29, 1970. Ryan is the fifth generation of his family to live in Janesville.

2. Sharing the same first name as his father, Paul had a childhood nickname: "P. D." (Paul Davis). It was often mistaken for "Petey," which caused Ryan to dislike the nickname.

[Check out editorial cartoons about the 2012 presidential campaign.]

3. Ryan's father died when Paul was only 16. Using the Social Security survivors benefits he received until his 18th birthday, he paid for his education at Miami University in Ohio, where he completed a bachelor's degree in economics and political science in 1992.

4. Ryan worked as a marketing consultant for his family's construction business before being elected to Congress. Ryan Incorporated Central began as an earthmoving business created by his great-grandfather in 1884.

5. At 28, Ryan was elected to Congress in 1998, and he has been re-elected six times, most recently in 2010.

[See political cartoons about Congress.]

6. Early in his career as a representative to Congress, Ryan held office hours in an old truck he converted into an office. This allowed him to visit the more far-flung towns in his district.

7. Janna Little, the future Mrs. Paul Ryan, was a Washington tax attorney living in Arlington, Va., when she met him. The Oklahoma native graduated from Wellesley College and George Washington University Law School.

8. Demonstrating his love of the outdoors, in April 2000, Ryan asked Janna to marry him at Big St. Germain Lake in northern Wisconsin, one of his favorite fishing spots. The couple was married in Oklahoma City in December 2000.

[Check out political cartoons on the budget and deficit.]

9. Ryan and his wife are raising their daughter, Elizabeth, and two sons, Charles and Samuel, in Ryan's hometown.

10. Ryan's hobbies include hunting and fishing. He is a bowhunter and belongs to his hometown's archery association, the Janesville Bowmen.

Sources:

Associated Press

Biography Resource Center

Capital Times (Madison, Wis.)

Congressional Staff Directory

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)

National Journal's House Race Hotline

Roll Call

Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.)

Updated 8/13/12

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Reader Comments Read all comments (92)

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Come on! The guy was born with a silver platter in his mouth. The very fact he applied for social security benefits is bizzare. Also, he went out of state to a relatively expensive University in Ohio, rather than perfect good afordable and yes 'better acedemic' universities in good old Wisconsin. There are also some good smaller colleges he could have chosen in Wisconsin.

The big deal is the company business, which made him by default a 'rich kid'. Look up the Ryans and you'll get the picture. They made their money building roads with public funds. Somebody had to, but - I mean this without trying to be cynical - this is not like going out and starting your own business. They had generations of well oiled machinery running their business. The freeway system in the 1950's was a huge windfall for them.

So who is Paul Ryan, a guy who knows business? Or a guy who comes from a background of making money off of the public sector. He barely has any business experience, and never (repeat) never started a business. He is not and never was a small businessman.

He may be a nice guy, but his political beliefs are sort of ironic, given his privileged background.

Who is he really?

is lack of

Dan of CA 10:45PM August 22, 2012

I'm quite sure that paul ryan is a douchbag but as an obama supporting demorcrat whose father died when I was 13 back in 1991 I can tell you that soc security survivors benefits wouldnt pay for 2 years of community college let alone 4 years of college. Lets also be reminded that its not a check that represents a free for all. In my family, those checks were a vital part of making my guardian able to support me and see that I had a decent life.

Dave of NY 2:52AM August 17, 2012

@Marina McCllelland

I know the college benefits were phased out between 1980 and 1984. You'd think you would have noticed the part where Ryan's benefits STOPPED when he turned 18, BEFORE he attended college.......meaning college benefits were phased out BEFORE Ryan attended college. Or he probably would have applied for the benefits to continue. That seemed so obvious to me that I didn't think I would need to point it out. But, no, putting 2+2 together, not your forte. So allow me to point it out for you.

And, apparently, you are one of those people who actually think the Social Security Administration sends checks out to minor children. As I said, "Get real." It doesn't and it didn't. Here, three year old kid, here's your check from Social Security ---- go spend it. This, of course, after the three year old kid filled out the paperwork applying for benefits in the first place. ROFLMAO.

My mother got Social Security survivor benefits for me back in the 80s when I was a minor. She applied for them. She got the checks. My brother who was 18 had to apply for his benefits himself and got the checks himself. My brother NOT BEING A MINOR. But apparently you (and a number of other people here) can't understand the distinction between a minor and not a minor, so let me point that out for you too. Minors do not apply for social security benefits; the parent does. Minors do not get social security checks; the parents does. And, since we know that putting 2+2 together is not your forte, 16 years old is a minor. Paul Ryan was 16 years old when his father died. MEANING PAUL RYAN WAS A MINOR WHO DID NOT APPLY FOR THE BENEFITS OR GET THE CHECKS FOR THE BENEFITS.

Now quit trying to be a smart aleck, because all you're doing is showing how incredibly not smart you are.

maggieameanderings of FL 1:26AM August 17, 2012

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