Mitt Romney says it’s his former running mate Rep. Paul Ryan’s “turn” to run for president in 2016.
“He’s very generous, but I had my turn. It’s his turn now,” Mr. Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, said Thursday night on Fox News’ “The Kelly File.”
Mr. Romney has repeatedly ruled out another White House run for himself, despite a busy campaign schedule in support of GOP candidates for the midterm elections that has spiked interested in Mr. Romney’s return to presidential politics.
On the TV show, which was their first joint appearance since the end of the 2012 campaign, Mr. Ryan insisted that Mr. Romney would be the better president.
“Looking at you guys now, you look like a presidential team, you look like a president and vice president, but you are not,” host Megyn Kelly told the pair.
Mr. Ryan, who is considered a likely contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, insisted that Mr. Romney would make the better president and still belongs on the top of the ticket.
“I’ll give it to him,” said Mr. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican.
Mr. Ryan has said that he will wait until after the midterm election to make a decision about whether enter the presidential race.
The former running mates appeared later at a Chicago event to promote Mr. Ryan’s new book, “The Way Forward: Renewing the American Idea.”
Mr. Ryan again prodded Mr. Romney to run, saying, “third time’s the charm.”
Mr. Romney ran unsuccessfully for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008 before winning the nomination in 2012.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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