BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who refused to support fellow Republican Donald Trump’s candidacy and questioned whether he had the temperament to be president, said Wednesday he was looking forward to forging ties with the incoming administration.
“Of course I’m optimistic,” Baker told reporters, praising the conciliatory tone of both Trump’s victory speech and the concession speech given Wednesday by Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Earlier this year, Baker was the first Republican governor in the U.S. to declare publicly that he would not support his party’s nominee for the White House. He did not back Clinton, either, and said Tuesday he did not cast a vote in the presidential election.
Baker on Wednesday said he had no reason to believe that he or the state of Massachusetts would face any kind of retribution from the new administration.
“He and Hillary Clinton both spoke to the notion that it’s important to unify a divided country,” said Baker. “I think that’s where it starts. And I think anything beyond that is pretty speculative at this point.”
Asked if he continued to question the president-elect’s temperament, Baker would only say that Trump said “all the right things” in his speech after winning the election.
The governor said he left a message Wednesday with New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie, a close adviser to Trump, offering his congratulations on Tuesday’s vote. Baker briefly endorsed Christie for president before Christie dropped out of the race and backed Trump.
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