Rep. Ryan Building National Political Organization

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan is putting together a national political organization amid talk that he is near the top of the list of vice presidential choices for presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

The Wisconsin Republican’s budding operation has plenty of cash to promote his blueprint of spending cuts and to support the GOP as a whole, Politico reports.

 

Ryan has $5 million in his re-election campaign account, a healthy amount for a House member. And he already has shelled out more than $1.6 million on direct mail pieces since the beginning of 2011.

 

Ryan is pulling in money from more than just his constituents. Donors from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., are committing to his cause.

 

Sources close to Ryan tell Politico the financial buildup is meant to defend himself and the party against criticism of his controversial budget plan.

 

But the substantial funding — and organization that goes along with it — could come in very handy if Ryan is indeed chosen as Romney’s running mate or decides to run for president himself in a future election.