The tea party didn't get its man in Mitt Romney. But it got one of its ideological heroes in the Republican presidential ticket's No. 2 slot.

Romney's decision to make Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan his running mate is a huge victory for the tea party. It's also a boon to Republicans who worried Romney isn't conservative enough.

Mainstream Republicans feel at home with Ryan, but so do tea party activists. They praise his commitment to reining in government -- even if it means major cutbacks to Social Security and Medicare.

South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, a leading tea party figure, says Ryan is committed to saving the country. And FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe says Ryan gives voters a reason to get excited about the GOP ticket.