Mitt Romney takes the stage Thursday at the Republican National Convention to make his case for why he should be elected the next president of the United States.

The Republican party nominee will address those at the convention in Tampa, Florida, and millions watching on television, following days of speeches by party heavyweights aimed at showing how he would govern differently than U.S. President Barack Obama.

Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan gave a strongly worded speech Wednesday night, promising an end to “excuses and idle words” when it comes to the economy if voters choose Mr. Romney in the November election.

He told the convention that “fear and division” is all the Democratic party has left, chastising Mr. Obama and his fellow Democrats for spending the past four years blaming others for problems instead of finding solutions.

Ryan said he and Mr. Romney will “meet serious challenges in a serious way” but warned the country's economic problems are so big that there is not much time to fix them.

The 42-year-old lawmaker from Wisconsin has energized conservative activists, even though he has come under fire for his proposals to impose deep cuts in social programs.

Earlier Wednesday, former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice echoed the party's stance on strict budgeting, saying “the world knows that when a nation loses control of its finances, it eventually loses control of its destiny.”

She also warned that the world is “chaotic and dangerous” when friends and foes do not know “clear and unambiguously” where America stands on issues of global importance.

In Virginia Wednesday, President Obama called the Republican convention a “pretty entertaining show,” but said voters will not hear Mr. Romney or other Republican party officials offer “a clear, serious path forward.”

The Democrats will hold their convention next week in Charlotte, North Carolina.