The Conversation: Governing Post-Vote 2010
With votes tallied, Politico's Jonathan Allen explains how new D.C. will work.
Nov. 3, 2010 — -- With the votes tallied from Tuesday's big election, Republicans took home a big prize: control of the House of Representatives.
House Minority Leader John Boehner is now set to replace Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House, meaning that divided government has returned to Washington after two years of complete Democratic control.
"For far too long, Washington has been doing what's best for Washington, not what's best for America," Boehner, R-Ohio, said in an emotional victory speech. "Tonight, that begins to change."
So what does that red sea change mean for governance? Today on the Conversation, ABC's Jeremy Hubbard spoke with Politico's Jonathan Allen.
"Barack Obama has a lot of incentive to try to get things done with a Republican Congress," Allen said. "Republicans have to prove, number one, to the Tea Partiers that they can stop Barack Obama's agenda, and number two, to the independents, that they can actually govern."
On the Senate side, Democrats remain in the majority, but it has shrunk.
On "Good Morning America" today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who had to fight to retain his own seat, gave his thoughts on the results.
"We all know that our majority is smaller than what it was, but I hope that the leader of the Republicans ... will understand that we have to work together," Reid said. "Just saying 'no' doesn't do the trick."
When it comes down to the hard work of governing, Allen said, working together will be key.
"I think it's a matter of sitting down with each other, talking with each other, and finding common ground. There are certainly areas where there's political peril but some agreement at least behind closed doors," Allen said.
We hope you'll watch today's Conversation for more.