Rep. Paul Ryan, Sen. Rand Paul ratchet up speculation of White House runs

They didn’t say they would — but they didn’t say they wouldn’t, either.

In separate television media appearances over the weekend, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul ramped up rumors of 2016 presidential runs. First came Mr. Ryan, who was asked directly on ABC if he would try to turn his vice presidential candidate experience into a presidential campaign in 2016.

“Will I or won’t I? I don’t know,” he said, Roll Call reported. “I don’t know the answer because I am just not putting a great deal of thought into this.”

Meanwhile, on Fox News Sunday, Mr. Paul fielded his own White House questions.

The Republican Party is “doing fine in congressional seats,” he said, according to the Roll Call report, “but we’re becoming less and less of a national party.” When asked if he would run for the higher office in order to make a point about the party’s dwindling influence, he said, according to Roll Call: “I would absolutely not run unless it were to win.”

Enlarge Photo

**FILE** Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, testifies before a state legislative committee ... more >

Yes or no? Fox News Chris Wallace pressed Mr. Paul for an answer.

“We won’t make a decision until 2014,” Mr. Paul said, Roll Call reported.

© Copyright 2013 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.