Paul Ryan: 'I'm not going to run for president in 2016'

Paul Ryan, the nine-term congressman and 2012 Republican nominee for vice president, has ruled out a bid for the presidency in 2016.

Ryan said in an interview Monday that he had made the decision over the holidays, well before Mitt Romney began to stir speculation about a third run for the White House.

"I feel like I am in a position to make a big difference where I am and I want to do that," Ryan said. Nevertheless, he praised the top of his former ticket, noting "it is no secret that I have always thought Mitt Romney would make a great president."

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Don't assume Romney has Ryan's 2016 endorsement in his pocket, though: The congressman insisted, "I think we've got a number of very capable candidates who have every ability to become president."