By Rafael Trujillo 11/16/16
Senate Republicans and Democrats have chosen their majority leaders for the next year. Republicans re-elected Mitch McConnell while Democrats chose Chuck Schumer.
McConnell, representing the state of Kentucky, said, “It’s time to accept the results of the election, to lower the tone and to see what we can do together to make progress for the country.”
Schumer represents the state of New York, and he declared after his election, “We heard the American people loud and clear. They felt that the government wasn’t working for them. They felt the economy was rigged against them in many places and that the government was too beholden to big money and special interest.”
McConnell and Schumer were elected unanimously by their colleagues. Schumer said to a reporter after meeting with McConnell at his office, “First meeting. Working out things.”
“Where we can work together we will,” Schumer told reporters about president-elect Donald Trump. He also said, “On issues where we disagree, you can expect a strong and tough fight.”
Schumer may cooperate with Trump in an infrastructure plan to rebuild roads, tunnels and bridges throughout the country.
Schumer expanded the leadership team of the Democratic party with 10 new members. He added progressives Senators Bernie Sanders from Vermont and Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, as well as more moderate Senator Joe Manchin III from West Virginia.