RYAN STUMPS FOR ROMNEY IN NORTH CAROLINA: While his state is engaged in a recall election today, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., will fly solo today in Raleigh, N.C., this morning when he holds a roundtable at Big Ed's City Market on behalf of Mitt Romney, who will campaign in Texas today. Ryan and Romney tag-teamed Wisconsin in early April when the duo crisscrossed the state campaigning together. Later in the evening, Ryan will headline a dinner held by the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

PORTMAN VISITS TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN: After a three-day tour through Israel last week, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, visited troops in Afghanistan for two "very productive" days, which include meeting with Green Berets training local police 30 miles from Pakistan and ate meals with Marines from Ohio and the Ohio National Guardsmen at Bagram Air Base, the Toledo Blade reported.

RUBIO CAMPAIGNS WITH MOURDOCK: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., campaigned with Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock Monday at a deli in Carmel deli, the Indianapolis Star reported.  "We face some real critical issues as a country, and if we don't solve these issues, they're not going to solve themselves. They're only going to get worse and harder to fix," Rubio said Monday. "That's why I'm excited and hopeful to bring someone up there like Richard Mourdock."

RUBIO CHIEF OF STAFF REPORTEDLY TIED TO LOBBY FIRM:  A report by Republic Report Monday found that Rubio's chief of staff, Cesar Conda, maintains financial ties to a corporate lobbying firm he founded called Navigators Global.  Conda left the group in January of 2011, but a review of his personal financial disclosure forms showed he received $50,000 to $100,000 in payments since joining Rubio's office. A spokesman for Rubio told the Republic Report that the arrangement between Conda and his lobbying firm was "cleared by Senate Ethics back in 2011."  "Cesar had a stock buy out of his ownership units when he left, which is being paid out over time," Alex Conant, press secretary for Rubio, wrote to the Republic Report.

RICE TO DC THIS MONTH FOR ShePAC FUNDRAISER: Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will attend a fundraiser for ShePAC, a group supporting Republican women, later this month in Washington, D.C., Yahoo! News' Chris Moody exclusively reports.

WALKER DOESN'T WANT VP SPOT, SUGGESTS RYAN FOR THE JOB: In an interview with FOX News' Neil Cavuto, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he wasn't interested in the VP spot and offered his pick for the job: Paul Ryan, ABC News' Michael Falcone reports.  "I'm not going through a year and a half of this to then take off.  I have to fulfill my commitment to the voters of the state of Wisconsin," Walker said Monday.  "On the VP side, if Mitt Romney were to ask me who would be a good pick from Wisconsin, I would say my friend Paul Ryan would be at the top of the list.  He would do an exceptional job."

VEEP TWEETS

@robportman: Wheels down in UAE - last stop on a trip that's taken me to Israel, Jordan and Afghanistan

@govchristie: Busy couple of days last week. Check out all the photos on my Facebook page! http://on.fb.me/ILCprN

@bobmcdonnell: An est. 500 homes, apts and businesses were damaged by the tornadoes Friday. I spoke with the mayors of Petersburg and Hampton yesterday.

@BrianSandoval Recently toured the largest and oldest State Park in NV! http://nvsen.us/M7zqKO  enjoying the ? # discoveryournevada? tour

@GovMikeHuckabee; Media angle so far on jobs story is how it affects President Obama. real story is millions of Americans who have no jobs at all.

@SenJohnThune: More ? # ObamaCare? fallout. @ WSJ reports colleges raising health premiums sharply or dropping plans altogether. http://on.wsj.com/LoeVLp