Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan has done something not seen this election. For the first time since 2010, the Tea Party and Base Conservatives are extremely energized. With the selection of Ryan, Romney has sent a big signal. For the first time since Ronald Reagan, the GOP has a Center-Right Fiscal/Economic Conservative ticket.

The Human Events 2011 Conservative of the Year, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), will be announced this morning as Mitt Romney’s vice presidential running mate, according to early reports.  Romney will formally announce his choice at a news conference this morning as early as 8:45 a.m.

Reaction from Republicans was swift — and enthusiastic.

“In choosing Paul Ryan, Gov. Romney is signaling he wants to change the course of government, not manage it.  This is the start of an aggressive, ideas campaign!”

So said California’s Republican State Chairman Tom Del Beccaro Friday night, shortly after television news reports strongly suggesting that Romney was planning to name House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his vice presidential running mate Saturday morning.  Del Beccaro was hosting a private party of fellow California GOP leaders in his suite at the Burbank Marriott here during the state Republican convention.  To a person, the other party activists were genuinely excited about the 42-year-old Ryan’s selection, and all echoed their chairman’s confidence that this was a first step in what would be a campaign grounded in conservative ideas and change.

“I’m as grassroots as you can get and I’m thrilled about Ryan!” Alameda County GOP Vice Chairman Hugh Busell told Human Events, “He had the courage to say why we needed to eventually change the nature of entitlements such as Medicare, and he could explain it.”

Mitt Romney has turned his back on the Rockefeller/Bush Wing of the Republican party and has embraced the Goldwater/Reagan/Tea Party/Economic Conservative wing of the Republican party. Welcome aboard Mitt to the side of the GOP that knows how to defeat the Progressives. Make no mistake, the selection of Paul Ryan is a victory for the Tea Party over the Establishment.

Compassionate Conservatism is dead and good riddance to that Progressive ideology.