Rep. Paul Ryan left the door wide open Sunday when asked whether he'd consider joining the Republican presidential ticket as the running mate of the eventual nominee.
Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman whose budget proposals are rocking Capitol Hill for the second year in a row, months ago had ruled out running for president to focus on his work in Congress.
Asked Sunday whether he'd accept an invitation from the GOP nominee to run for vice president, Ryan would not douse the thought.
"I would have to consider it," Ryan told "Fox News Sunday."
The Wisconsin Republican repeatedly stressed he hasn't made a decision, and might not even be asked -- considering the nomination battle may be months from completion.
"It's just not a bridge that I've even come close to crossing. It's a decision that somebody else makes a long time from now," Ryan said.
After saying he'd consider it, Ryan added, "It's not something I'm even thinking about right now."
Speaking earlier on "Fox News Sunday," White House senior adviser David Plouffe was already melding GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney and Ryan together into one entity.
Plouffe claimed that Ryan's latest budget plan would be "rubber-stamped" by Romney should he win the nomination and the White House.
"This is really the Romney-Ryan plan," Plouffe said.
Ryan, whose home state is hosting its primary early next month, made clear that the GOP presidential race isn't over yet. Still, he called Romney the "prohibitive front-runner" and said the process is "coming together."
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