Supporters welcome Paul Ryan home before he heads to Convention

Janesville welcomes Paul Ryan

JANESVILLE -- Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan basked in a celebratory sendoff from his hometown of Janesville Monday, August 27th before heading to Tampa, Florida for the Republican National Convention. Ryan will formally accept his selection as soon-to-be formally nominated GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's vice-presidential candidate at the Convention. Ryan is set to arrive in Tampa Tuesday, August 28th.

RAW VIDEO: First 5 minutes of Paul Ryan speech in Janesville

Supporters at Craig High School in Janesville welcomed Ryan to his Alma Mater for the first time since Romney announced Ryan would be his running mate. Ryan told the crowd they were not just picking the president for four years, but picking the path for a new generation.

In his speech to the crowd Monday, Ryan targeted President Barack Obama.

"It's this economic school of thought -- his belief that the pie of life is somehow fixed. That the economy is static, and it's the government's job to try to redistribute the slices more equitably. That's not the government's job. The government's job is to set the conditions for economic growth so we can grow the pie for everybody so that everybody in America can get their vision of the American dream," Ryan said.

A lone protestor was quickly escorted out of Monday's rally by security.

Outside, other protestors lined up behind a fence. Earlier Monday, Democrats made a stop on their statewide tour promoting a different ideology.

"Paul Ryan seems to be a nice enough guy, but he has a mean-spirited budget that would mean one of the largest transfers from the middle class to the ultra rich," R.T. Rybak with the Democratic National Committee said.

Gretchen Lane Ecker is a long-time family friend of the congressman she knows as P.D. -- the initials of his first and second name, Paul Davis.

"The whole thing was very surreal for me today. I almost couldn't believe I was here and it was happening," Ecker said.

The Convention activities for Monday were canceled due to the threat of Tropical Storm Isaac. Ryan is expected to fly to Tampa and arrive Tuesday, and on Wednesday, he'll give one of the most important speeches of his life, as he formally accepts the vice-presidential nomination.

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