House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, made clear today that he wants the GOP's presidential candidates to embrace the House Republicans' budget plan put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. -- and he indicated support for a Ryan candidacy.
The Republican presidential field is slowly forming, most recently with announcements that former Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is in while Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is out.
Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has said is not running for president.
Cantor told reporters today that the field still has time and that the campaigns will begin to focus as the primary season nears.
"I think the candidates who are in the race are strong candidates," he said.
And for those vying for the party's presidential nomination, "I'm looking for them to embrace our formula in the Ryan budget, I'm looking for them to embrace a leadership role that takes the tough positions."
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich last week drew fire from some Republicans for criticizing the Ryan plan. Cantor accused the presidential hopeful of "tremendous misspeak."
Asked about Ryan getting into the mix, Cantor said Ryan is "about real leadership" and he said that's what the public desperately wants to see.
"They don't want to see individuals that dismiss the current problems as something that we can just sweep under the rug," he said.
Cantor also said that House Republicans this week would unveil the second part of their "cut and grow" agenda, focusing on promoting growth and "what we can do to increase economic activity, which has the result of increasing revenues."
It will address tax reform, something Cantor has spoken about previously, including proposing to lower the corporate tax rate to at least a rate of 25 percent. Cantor has also proposed allowing U.S. multinational companies to bring back about $1.2 trillion in overseas profits at a lower tax as part of the reforms.
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