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WASHINGTON - Congressman Paul Ryan is cautioning fellow Republicans to pick their fights carefully during President Barack Obama's second term.

In a speech to conservatives, the GOP's 2012 vice presidential nominee urged Republicans to avoid internal squabbles as the party seeks to rebound from a second straight presidential defeat. Ryan says: "We have to show that if given the chance, we can govern."

Ryan says Republicans need to reject the president's proposals in some cases, but work to make them better in others.

The Wisconsin lawmaker also warned that Obama will try to divide Republicans, but GOP lawmakers "can't get rattled" and shouldn't "play the villain in his morality plays."

Ryan also defended his vote on the "fiscal cliff" deal. He says that if the measure hadn't passed, every single taxpayer would have paid higher taxes.