With Republicans taking a slim majority in the House of Representatives next year, new Representative-elect Marc Molinaro hopes moderates in purple districts will drive policy in the chamber.
Molinaro said he hopes moderates representing swing seats, like his 19th Congressional District, band together to drive the House’s agenda.
"In order to govern, it's going to take a lot of us in these purple districts, from purple parts of the country, really working together," Molinaro told reporters shortly after declaring victory on election night.
Molinaro also says this involves working across the aisle with Democrats, something he would like to do with the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers that has involved itself in negotiations over contentious measures in recent years.
Molinaro also said he wants to focus on policy matters and less on partisan feuds in Washington.
“Americans are struggling too hard and they are tired of watching politicians yell at each other and blame one another,” Molinaro said. “They're going to need us functioning together and that's what I'll intend to do."
Molinaro has distanced himself from further right-leaning parts of the party. He told WSKG that he would not be afraid to break from the party if a vote implementing a national ban on abortion came to the floor. On election night, Molinaro said he’s made this stance clear to Republican Party Leadership.
Current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was reelected to continue leading House Republicans this week, fending off a challenge by the right-leaning House Freedom Caucus.
"They know my position quite well,” Molinaro said.
McCarthy and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel attended a fundraiser for Molinaro shortly before the election. Molinaro narrowly won the 19th Congressional District race against Democrat Josh Riley.