On Fox News Sunday, the Wall Street Journal‘s Paul Gigot said that sources tell him Chris Christie is “very carefully” reconsidering his decision not to run for president. And on Tuesday, John Fund fueled the speculation when he reported that “a top Republican donor to Christie told me he is convinced the man has already decided to run. A prominent New York political figure is equally certain he will enter the race.”

Today, House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan tamped down the speculation about Christie, saying that he has talked to the New Jersey governor recently and doesn’t expect him to run. “I have talked to Chris,” Ryan told me in a phone interview. “It’s not my place to talk about our conversations, but I have no indication that he’s going to enter the race.” Stephen F. Hayes reported that Ryan and Christie were in touch last month when the Wisconsin congressman considered a presidential run of his own, before ruling it out for a final time.