Area reaction is mixed after presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney chose Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan for his running mate.
"I think it's great," says Vera Wood of Reno, "because now even fewer people will vote Republican.
"I think it's just what we need. It will be a ticket to put America back to work and get us back on track," said John Ricci who recently moved to Nevada from California.
It really does depend on who you talk to about it. But according to Truckee Meadows Community College Political Science Professor Fred Lokken, it's a move that could alienate a lot of Independent voters.
"It's a move that will really hurt the ticket," Lokken says. "Romney is a rich white guy who has now given the number 2 spot to another rich white guy. They are too much alike. Sure Ryan is young, but he comes from Congress, he's never even won a statewide election. And he doesn't reach out to anyone but more rich white guys. This was Romney's chance to bring in women, or minorities but he just solidified the ticket by reaching out to the Tea Party and that isn't going to help them. It will help the Democrats though. It will make (President) Obama look more like he's working toward compromise than Romney is."
Nevada is considered a battleground state. And Washoe County is considered the key because the voter registration is so tight. And the Independents really could decide which way the state goes. Lokken says this doesn't help reach those voters at all.
"Romney would have made a better choice by appointing someone from Florida or Ohio or even Nevada. Governor (Brian) Sandoval is seen as a moderate Republican who can unite people and he could have brought in Nevada and minorities. Ryan just won't bring them anything they don't already have. I think it was a crazy decision," Lokken says.
Meantime, Paul Ryan is headed to Nevada. He'll be speaking at what's billed as a victory rally at Palo Verde High School in Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon.
Sunday night on "60 Minutes" Bob Schieffer sat down with both Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney for the first time since the announcement.
During the interview -- Schieffer asked what role Ryan would play in a Romney administration.
"Well, I anticipate that there will be certain areas that are his areas of expertise and he has passion and concern there. That he'll actually take-- a lead role in helping oversee those areas and maybe some cabinet-- officers who will work primarily with-- with the vice president.
But he would also have a role in helping shepherd-- legislation-- on the Hill. Of course you have a legislative affairs director that-- that takes that kind of lead as well, but you-- you can't imagine having someone like Paul Ryan, who's been able to work with Democrat senators, Democrat-- members of the House as well as Republicans, been able to make things happen there."
Schieffer also asked Congressman Ryan about the gridlock in Washington and why Congress hasn't been able to accomplish much this term.
Ryan called the stalemate the worst he's seen during his 14 years in office - blaming it on a lack of leadership from President Obama.
President Barack Obama's campaign is targeting Paul Ryan in a new online video, two days after the Wisconsin congressman became Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick.
The spot features Florida seniors talking about how Ryan's Medicare plans could affect them. The president's re-election campaign is releasing the video on the same day Romney campaigns in Florida.
Seniors in the new video portray the Republican Romney-Ryan ticket as a threat to Medicare and Obama as its protector.
Ryan has proposed a voucher-like system to reshape Medicare that independent budget analysts say would likely mean higher costs for seniors. Ryan maintains the changes are needed to preserve Medicare for future generations.
Romney's campaign counters by saying the president's health care law stripped more than $700 billion from Medicare.
A senior political adviser to President Obama is likening Romney's selection of Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate to John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin.
David Axelrod tells "CBS This Morning" he recalls "that kind of excitement four years ago" when McCain presented Palin to the country as his choice for vice president. Axelrod says in Monday's interview he thinks the selection of Ryan, who is popular with tea party figures -- as Palin was -- is "not going to be a plus for Mr. Romney."
Axelrod says he likes Ryan personally, but he also is labeling the Wisconsin Republican "a certifiable right-wing ideologue."
Obama's adviser says Ryan is "a genial fellow, but his views are quite harsh," and he says "these Republicans don't like Medicare."
Written by Erin Breen
