Midterm elections: The morning after - CNN International

Harry Reid says he's ready to compromiseTea Party-backed S.C. governor-elect says people found 'power of their voice'Indiana congressman intends to gut Obama's health care policy

(CNN) -- Here's what you need to know right now about election results, their impact and how politicians are reacting:

Reid ready to compromise

Having survived a strong re-election challenge and seen the Democratic majority in the Senate slip to one, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he's eager to work with Republicans to craft legislation and create jobs.

"It's important we realize we have some work to do," Reid said on CNN's "American Morning." "... We need to stop using words like 'chastened' and I think what we have to do is recognize that all of us, all of us who are going to be in Senate, have to work together. That's the message from the American people.

"We must work together, and I am looking forward to that. ... I think this is a time we need to set aside our speeches and start rolling up our sleeves and have a little sweat on our brow."

Reid said both parties need to give a little.

"We know that the Republicans of this last Congress picked up the name 'The Party of No.' I think that Democrats have to work with Republicans, and Republicans have to work with Democrats. It's not a one-sided deal," he said.

Reid identified job creation as his top legislative priority.

"As far as I'm concerned, my No. 1 job is to help create jobs, and I'm going to do everything I can. The only thing that's going to solve our economic problems in this country are jobs, jobs and more jobs."

A big question the next Congress will deal with is whether to extend the Bush-era tax cuts and/or make other changes to the tax code.

"I want to do everything I can to make sure those tax cuts remain in place," he said. "I'm not awkward, I'm not bullheaded, I'm willing to work with my Republican colleagues on a way to get this done."

Repeal of the health care reform legislation -- a key promise of many Republican candidates just elected -- is not an option, Reid said.

"The health care bill is very important," he said. "I wish the Republicans had worked with us when we did the health care bill. If there's some tweaking we need to do with the health care bill, I'm ready for some tweaking. But I'm not in any way going to denigrate the great work we did as a country in saving America from bankruptcy, because the insurance industry bankrupted us."

Nikki Haley vows to make more history

Nikki Haley, the first woman elected governor of South Carolina and the first woman of Indian descent elected governor of any state, said she hopes to really make history with the work that begins in January.

Haley, a Republican state representative, defeated Democratic state Sen. Vincent Sheheen after a bitter campaign.

"This was people finding the power of their voice," Haley said on "American Morning." "This was people saying, 'We want government to remember who it is that they work for. We want government to know the value of a dollar, and we want jobs and the economy to come first.' This was all about the people saying, 'We've had enough.'"

Haley, who enjoyed strong support from Sarah Palin and the Tea Party movement, said government will stick to the basics under her administration.

"We look at the fact that government was intended to secure the rights of the people; it was never intended to be all things to all people," Haley said.

"And certainly, when you give a man a job you give a man pride. We're going to give a lot of pride to the state of South Carolina."

She said she hoped her Indian heritage makes people proud but doesn't want that to be her legacy.

"As historic as I think a lot of observers are going to say this is, I hope what's historic is the work that we do in January and the things we get done in the first year of our Haley administration. ...

"We're proud for the women in this country. We're proud for the Indian-American community. We're proud for our families. But most importantly we're proud for the state of South Carolina."

Indiana's Pence wants to 'rip up' health care act

Indiana Congressman Mike Pence, who last night won his sixth consecutive term in office, said he saw the Republican victories as a direct message from the American people.

"I think the message coming out of last night's historic election is the American people want to see an end to the federal runaway with money and government takeovers," he said.

Pence also said he and the rest of the Republican Party are excited "to be worthy of the second chance the American people have given us."

And he pointed at President Obama's health care policy as part of the reason for the Republican gains Tuesday night.

"Obamacare was roundly rejected. We need to rip it up, root and branch," he said. "The American people don't want to be mandated to purchase health insurance. ... They don't want all the new taxes that come with it."

And he said Republicans won't just repeal the health care legislation, they'll replace it with a lower-cost option that Americans want.

Still, he said, last night wasn't just entirely about the Republicans, it was about their supporters who demanded their voices be heard.

"I don't see last night so much as a victory for one party or another," he said. "I see it as a victory for the American people. And I think they are going to stay engaged in this process."

When it comes down to it, Pence told CNN, loosening the government's role was the key to getting the country back on track.

"You get government out of control, you get government out of the way, and the economy will come roaring back," he said.

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