Sen.-elect Cory Gardner of Colorado said Friday the GOP risks squandering the gains the party made in the 2014 midterms almost immediately if they don’t use their forthcoming majority in the U.S. Senate and increased majority in the House wisely.
“I don’t think you can read too much into this as a Republican mandate,” Mr. Gardner said Friday on Fox News. “Because in two years, if Republican don’t lead, then the same thing’s going to happen, except it’s going to be a wave going back the other direction.”
“That’s why the House, the Senate has to focus on putting legislation on the president’s desk — give this president the opportunity to veto or agree with legislation the American people agree with, so we can prove that we can solve problems,” he said. “The people of Colorado — they don’t like dysfunction, they want a positive vision, and that’s what we have to prove to the people of this country.”
Mr. Gardner, whose win over Democratic Sen. Mark Udall was a major pickup for Republicans, said the GOP could send President Obama measures on the Keystone XL pipeline, tax reform and a repeal of unpopular parts of Obamacare such as a tax on medical devices.
“If the president doesn’t go along, then he sets his nominee up for failure in 2016,” Mr. Gardner said. “If the president does go along, then it shows the Republicans can lead and it helps the Republican nominee in 2016.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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