Massachusetts Republican Governor-elect Charlie Baker and Democratic legislative leaders are promising to work together to address the state's most pressing issues despite their political differences.Following meetings at the Statehouse Monday, legislative leaders praised the governor-elect as ready to hit the ground running on fiscal and other issues. Although he hasn’t met with Baker since Election Day, Democratic State Senator Ben Downing of Pittsfield says it’s time to put politics aside.
“I think that’s what frustrates people about Washington right now,” Downing said. “You don’t see that progress. We have the opportunity to make it here. We might make it in a different way than I would have liked, but that’s what the people gave us and they are, in this system that we set up, the ultimate deciders.”
Downing was the Democratic coordinated campaign chair for this year’s election in which Baker narrowly defeated Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley. Baker enters the governor's office in January.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
