News roundup: Romney-Ryan ticket's unique religious identity

Paul Ryan: bold or risky. A Mormon and Catholic ticket. The Huntsmans want Mitt to release more tax returns.

Happy Monday. The race to define Paul Ryan is well underway with Mitt Romney's people calling him a crusader for a responsible budget and President Barack Obama's team hitting him as a risky pick and a person who wants to dismantle the health care safety net. [APviaTrib] [Politico] [FoxNews] [CNN]

The Paul Ryan pick: Romney picks Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, famed for his budget proposal as his running mate, a move many see as an attempt to draw a clear contrast to the president's agenda. [JournalSentinel] [WaPost] [ABCNews] [WSJ] [NYTimes]

-> Utah Republicans love Romney's selection and Ryan has spent a little time in the Beehive State. [Trib] [KSL] [Fox13] [DNews] And Huntsman, the first prez candidate to endorse Ryan's budget, gives it a thumbs up too. [Trib]

-> A Romney-Ryan ticket is likely to be the most unique religious pair to run for the White House. Ryan is Catholic. [FoxNews]

-> Ryan's early job is to argue for the moral imperative of major spending cuts and to lavish praise on Romney's record, including his run as the leader of the Salt Lake Olympic Games. [WaPost]

-> Don't know much about Ryan? He's a big thinking Republican leader on fiscal issues. He's young, a fitness nut and a man who has worked his way up in the world of Washington. [CNN] [WaPost]

-> Ryan is the leader of the "attack and propose: faction of the the Republican Party. [NewYorker]

-> You have probably heard of the Ryan budget, you may not know what is in it. Here's a brief synopsis. [JournalSentinel] [FoxNews] And here's how his fiscal ideas entered the GOP mainstream. [Politico]

-> If Ryan's plan was adopted, Romney's effective 2010 tax rate would have been just 1 percent. [RollCall]

-> Ryan says he'll release two years of his tax returns, the same number as Romney. [Politico]

-> It's been 80 years since the last time a vice presidential pick came straight from the House of Representatives. [RollCall]

-> Ryan's self-reliance and political views started to form after his father's untimely death. [NYTimes]

-> 10 things you don't know about Ryan. [Politico]

-> How Mitt Romney kept his vp search under wraps. [LATimes] [ABCNews]

Tweet of the day: From @AriFleischer: "The 3 phases of a Ryan VP selection: 1) Republicans rally. 2) Ds throw kitchen sink. 3) Focus returns to Obama & Romney."

Happy Birthday: to state Rep. Ryan Wilcox and Josh Romney.

Opinion section: Paul Rolly argues that Red Meat Radio exemplifies the problems with partisan press. [Trib]

-> Former Sen. Bob Bennett tries to explain how one poll could show Obama with a big lead, while another from the same time period has Romney ahead. [DNews]

-> A Salt Lake physician says in light of the mass shootings its time to repeal the 2nd Amendment. [Trib]

-> Josh Kanter with the liberal group Alliance for a Better Utah compares gun control to insider trading. [Trib]

-> Chris Stout, the Democratic candidate for state treasurer, argues against moving the Draper prison. [Trib]

-> George Pyle says Mia Love's background makes her a compelling candidate, but he takes issue with her descriptions of Haiti. [Trib]

-> Ed Firmage Jr. says too many religious people focus on a creed and not the power of faith to impact their lives. [Trib]

-> Vince Rampton, the Democratic lieutenant governor candidate, criticizes the Republican hardline approach to the public land debate. [DNews]

In other news: Mia Love is getting a lot of attention for her congressional run but critics say her campaign isn't gaining any traction. [DNews] On this topic, GOP insiders and Democratic insiders have divergent views. [UtahPolicy]

-> The political parties start taking jabs at Jim Matheson and Mia Love, as what is expected to be the hottest race in Utah takes shape. [Trib]

-> Jon Huntsman and his famous industrialist father say that Romney should release more tax returns and their comments on the matter are rather biting. [Trib] [WaPost] [USAToday]

-> Joanna Brooks of Book of Mormon Girl fame appeared on The Daily Show to talk about Mitt Romney and the LDS faith. [Trib]

-> If Salt Lake gets a Broadway style theater, one of Main Street's most notable buildings will be turned to rubble. [Trib]

-> None of the auditor candidates are certified accountants and the man currently in the job thinks that is a big problem. [Trib]

-> Ben McAdams has found the narrow path to compromise with Republicans, something he says he'll bring to Salt Lake County if elected mayor. [DNews]

-> Gov. Gary Herbert has touted a voluntary pollution reduction program, which has had limited success. [DNews]

-> Many Latinos in the critical swing state of Colorado plan to sit this election out. [Trib]

-> The mortgage meltdown in Nevada is a major factor for Latino voters who have an eye on the presidential race. [Trib]

2012 watch: The race is essentially tied according to the latest Politico/George Washington University battleground poll. [Politico]

-> What Boston's Big Dig says about Romney's management style. [WaPost]

-> In the must win state of Florida, Romney talks about economic woes while Gov. Rick Scott touts an improved outlook. [MiamiHerald]

-> Romney and Ryan pull in big crowds throughout the weekend, but none bigger than in Wisconsin. [LATimes]

Where are they?

Rep. Jason Chaffetz appears on Fox Business and CNN today. In between, he has meetings at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center and a lunch with the United Natural Products Alliance.

Gov. Gary Herbert holds separate education meetings with Rep. Eric Hutchings and then with Christine Kearl and higher ed Commissioner David Buhler. He visits the Department of Natural Resources and holds a meeting of his economic council.

SLC Mayor Ralph Becker attends the housing refinance roundtable, sits down with U. of U. President David Pershing, then with Green and Healthy Homes Initiative director Ruth Ann Norton and finishes the day with a progress report on the Sugar House streetcar.

S.L. County Mayor Peter Corroon holds a cabinet meeting talks with KCPW and hits the Envision Utah board of trustees meeting.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder speak to Taiwan exchange students and then gives an interview to Voice of America before attending the Family Safety Fair.

President Barack Obama flies to Omaha where he will start a three-day bus tour focused on Iowa, with campaign events in Council Bluffs and Boone.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to you inbox. [Trib]

— Matt Canham Twitter.com/mattcanham