On the heels of a wave election Tuesday night, Republican leaders stressed Wednesday that they would govern by “listening to the American people,” and said they would commit to making government “smaller, less costly and more accountable.”
In a press conference on Capitol Hill, Ohio Rep. John Boehner, who is likely to become speaker in January, said that he spoke with President Obama on the phone Tuesday evening about the coming legislative cycle and said the two agreed to work together.
“We agreed that we needed to listen to the American people,” Boehner said. “We need to work together on behalf of the American people and I look forward to having the opportunity to talk with him about those areas where we can move together.”
What specifically the two men will actually agree on or working together toward remains unclear. When asked how exactly Boehner and Obama plan to incorporate bipartisanship next year, the future speaker would not name any specific policies.
“It’s clear that we’re going to have to have some kind of bipartisan agreement,” added Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, citing agreements between the Republicans and the White House on energy policies that encourage growth in nuclear power and clean coal industries. He said, however, that Republicans were “determined to stop” Obama’s agenda and “turn the ship around.”
On the influence of the Tea Party, which has become a mixed back for Republican election efforts, Boehner said that he shares common values with the decentralized movement and will seek to include their ideas as speaker.
“I don’t see any problem incorporating members of the Tea Party along with our party, in the quest that’s really the same,” Boehner said.
Jessica Puente contributed to this report.
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