“Bold” is the word on the tip of everyone’s tongues and the term du jour for Romney’s VP selection in Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. See what politicos across the state are saying about the selection.

PoliticsPA will update this list as more statements are released.

Pat Toomey, Senator

“I am thrilled that Gov. Romney has chosen Paul Ryan as his running mate. In doing so, Gov. Romney has made the clearest, most unequivocal statement he could make that he intends his campaign and his presidency to be about solving America’s greatest challenges. “Congressman Ryan is one of Congress’ strongest voices advocating for economic growth through free enterprise and fiscal sense through controlling spending. I’m delighted we have a Romney-Ryan ticket.”

Rick Santorum, former PA Senator and presidential candidate

“Congressman Paul Ryan is an outstanding choice as our country’s next vice president, and today’s announcement demonstrates Governor Romney’s commitment to returning fiscal sanity back to Washington, DC. I have long supported Paul Ryan’s fiscal and entitlement reforms to return our country back on a path of fiscal health.  At a time when our country is at an economic crossroads, Congressman Ryan’s depth of knowledge on how to tackle these challenges is unparalleled.  He will serve Governor Romney and our country well to undo the flawed policies of the last four years.”

Rob Gleason, PA GOP Chairman

“I congratulate Paul Ryan on being selected to join Mitt Romney on the Republican Presidential ticket. Pennsylvanians will be well served by a Romney-Ryan team in White House that can finally shut the door on President Obama’s four years of high unemployment, out-of-control spending, and usher a new era of American prosperity. Pennsylvania will be first in line to send Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to the White House when we deliver our 20 electoral votes this November.”

Jim Burn, PA Dems Chairman

“Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan proves once again that he has the wrong agenda for middle class Pennsylvanians. Paul Ryan shares Mitt Romney’s commitment to helping the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. Ryan is the author of a budget plan that will increase taxes for the middle class and end Medicare as we know it, all to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. The Romney-Ryan agenda will cut investments in education, clean energy, and innovation that will help our economy grow while returning to the same failed trickle down economic policies of the past. The Romney-Ryan budget plan will cost America over 1 million jobs while cutting key investments in middle class programs like Head Start and veterans health care. Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan has made it clear that he will abandon the middle class and seniors and take us back to the same failed policies of the past that hurt middle class Pennsylvanians.”

Manan Trivedi (D-Berks Challenger for PA-6)

“‘We won’t blame others . . . we will take responsibility!”Those were some of the first words spoken this morning by Rep. Paul Ryan as it was announced he would be Mitt Romney’s vice presidential running mate.So our questions as Americans have to be:Will Romney and Ryan take responsibility for having a plan that raises taxes on the middle-class? Will Romney and Ryan take responsibility for a plan that guts Medicare benefits? Will Romney and Ryan take responsibility for a plan that creates tax cuts for corporations for shipping American jobs overseas? Well as an Iraq War veteran, I know a little bit about taking real responsibility and not just throwing it around as a rhetorical applause line.”

George Badey (D-Delaware, Challenger for PA-7)

“Today’s news makes Congressman Meehan’s votes for Ryan’s plan to privatize Medicare all the more real, serious and dangerous. We now know that ending Medicare as we know it is the central plank of the Romney-Ryan ticket and will be the defining issue in the 2012 elections. Congressman Meehan has already voted for it twice, despite his promise in 2010 to vote against the Ryan agenda…I’m running to protect seniors and middle class Pennsylvania families from this reckless agenda. I look forward to letting voters choose which makes more sense.”

Kathy Boockvar (D-Bucks, Challenger for PA-8)

“Congressman Fitzpatrick strongly supported Paul Ryan’s devastating budget, which places a tremendous burden on Pennsylvania’s middle class and seniors by handing Medicare over to insurance companies while extending tax breaks for firms that outsource Pennsylvania jobs,” said Kathy Boockvar, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania’s Eighth District.  “That Paul Ryan could be the next V[ice President, highlights the importance of electing a Representative who will fight against such crippling proposals over someone who embraces them.”

Mike Fitzpatrick, (R-Bucks, PA-8)

“Having worked with Paul Ryan, I can say no one in the House of Representatives knows the federal budget better than he does. He will be an invaluable resource to the ticket and the American people as their next vice president. At a time when our country is heading for a fiscal cliff, there could not be a better team for the future of America than Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan.”

Karen Ramsburg (D-Franklin, Challenger for PA-9)

“It’s hard to understand how those who believe in sanctity of life can support Ryan’s budget, which attacks the most vulnerable segments of society, dismantles Medicare, and does nothing to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability,” Ramsburg said. “As a fiscal conservative, I think the plan is smoke and mirrors. As a pro-life Catholic, I find it morally offensive.”

“Ryan and (Rep. Bill) Shuster aim to destroy Social Security and Medicare — upon which most ordinary Americans rely. The voucher system will create a new healthcare bureaucracy and concentrate its control to the insurance cartel. It’s fiscally irresponsible and immoral.”

Lou Barletta (R-Luzerne, PA-11)

“Jobs and the economy are the No.1 concern of voters across America…A Romney-Ryan ticket offers a clear contrast to the failed policies of President Obama that have only made our economy worse. The team of Governor Mitt Romney and Representative Paul Ryan has the expertise to offer idea after idea on how to fix our economy, cut Washington’s red tape, right-size federal spending to deal with our deficit and save important federal programs that so many rely on.

“Having worked with Paul Ryan, I can say no one in the House of Representatives knows the federal budget better than he does.  He will be an invaluable resource to the ticket and the American people as their next Vice-President. At a time when our country is heading for a fiscal cliff, there could not be a better team for the future of America than Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Paul Ryan.”

Mark Critz (D-Cambria, PA-12)

“Congressman Paul Ryan is the architect of a budget that would have disastrous consequences for Pennsylvania’s seniors which is strongly supported by Keith Rothfus. The Rothfus/Ryan budget will end Medicare by turning it into a voucher program that will cost seniors $6,400 more per year for their health care – all so millionaires can get more tax cuts. The difference in this race is that I will fight to protect and strengthen Medicare while Keith Rothfus and Paul Ryan want to end it all so the wealthy can get richer.”

Allyson Schwartz (D-Montco, PA-13)

“In serving with Paul Ryan on the House Budget Committee, I have seen firsthand Ryan’s rigid commitment to fiscal and economic policies that have failed to grow the economy in the past and devastated so many Americans.

“Americans believe in the promise of Medicare for our seniors, but Paul Ryan is committed to ending Medicare as we know it…For young Americans, a Romney-Ryan ticket means deep cuts in student loans and would make a college education unattainable for many middle class families. Ryan gets a lot of credit from pundits for his fiscal policies. But, when he was faced with an opportunity to vote for a bold, bipartisan plan to reduce the federal deficit, he walked away from his so-called commitment to fiscal responsibility and voted ‘no.’”

Lauren Cummings (R-Lackawanna, Challenger for PA-17)

“Today, Mitt Romney announced Paul Ryan as his running mate. Ryan is a talented and experienced fiscal conservative who understands the challenges facing our country. His selection confirms that the Mitt Romney is committed to turning America around. The ‘R & R’ team promises America some badly needed “r&r” from the irresponsible, job killing policies of the Obama Administration.  Paul Ryan is the right choice at the right time and I commend Mitt Romney on his selection.”

Larry Maggi (D-Washington, Challenger for PA-18)

“If Paul Ryan and Tim Murphy have their way, seniors will pay $6,000 more per year in out-of-pocket Medicare expenses while giving the average millionaire a $394,000 tax break.  Congress is taking the wrong approach.  To create new jobs and get our economy back on track, we need to cut wasteful spending—not on the backs of seniors and the middle-class.”

Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Mayor

“If there was any doubt that Mitt Romney was the wrong choice for people in Philadelphia and cities across this country, today’s pick of Paul Ryan as a running mate makes it crystal clear just how wrong his priorities are. The Romney-Ryan budget is an attack on our most precious resource, the very people who make up the fabric of this country: our parents, our children, our soldiers and our seniors.

“Paul Ryan is the mastermind behind the extreme Republican budget that would hike middle class taxes, turn Medicare into a voucher system and would severely reduce resources for veterans programs and early childhood education programs. All this would be to fund trillions of dollars of tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires…By choosing Ryan as his running mate, Romney has made it abundantly clear that he will rubber stamp this extreme Republican plan that brings us back to the same failed economic policies of the Bush Administration and leaves the most vulnerable of our citizens to fend for themselves.”

Luke Ravenstahl, Pittsburgh Mayor

“While President Obama has worked tirelessly to ensure that all Americans have a fair shot, Mitt Romney’s choice of Congressman Paul Ryan farther cements his out-of-touch vision for America. Romney and Ryan would pass a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans that would be paid for by the middle class. Further, Ryan was the chief architect of a budget that would annihilate America’s investment in education, Medicare and other programs that help residents of Pittsburgh get a fair shot. Simply put, President Obama will continue to take our country forward while Romney and Ryan would be America’s Go Back Team.”

Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Allentown Mayor

“I find it amazing that Mitt Romney would pick a running mate who has so little respect for seniors that he has proposed eliminating both Medicare and Social Security. We must make seniors aware of his extremist views and let everyone know that President Obama is the best choice not only for seniors but for a more prosperous America.”