By Bill Raack, KWMU
Washington – Newly sworn-in U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill says she is open to working with Republicans to accomplish things like ethics reform and a minimum wage increase.
McCaskill's victory over incumbent Republican Senator Jim Talent in November helped Democrats take control of the Senate. But she said the one seat majority does not guarantee that Democrats will have an easy time approving their legislative priorities.
"We're not going to get anything done if we are constantly just trying to make them look bad," McCaskill said. "Just as we're not going to get anything done if the Republicans are constantly just trying to make the Democrats look bad. That's why we've got to get beyond this partisan bickering where it's all about the strategy of elections and not about the American people."
As McCaskill was sworn in as Missouri's newest U.S. Senator Thursday, she was accompanied by her new Republican colleague, Senator Kit Bond.