Vulnerable Senate Democrats, who could be facing tough reelection campaigns in 2018, are now signaling their willingness to work with President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans, The Hill reported.
Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., have already identified areas where they are willing to work with the new administration, according to The Hill.
Trump won in a landslide in all three of their states.
"The reason I'm in the U.S. Senate is to work with Republicans and Democrats to get things done," said Heitkamp, who The Hill noted is ready to work with the GOP on laws to invest in "clean coal" technologies.
And Donnelly adds: "My responsibility to Hoosiers is to support the best ideas, regardless of whether the idea comes from a Republican or Democrat."
Meanwhile, Tester is planning to work with Republicans on a variety of issues, including the deficit and improving services at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the political news website noted.
"We can't say 'no' because the idea comes from the other side of the aisle," he said.
The Hill noted all three seem to realize they need to work with the incoming president and the Republicans to avoid GOP attacks later.
According to Politico, the desire by some Democrats to work with Trump has as much to do about self-preservation as it does about collaboration.
"I'm going to do my job," said Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who Politico describes as one of the most endangered incumbents in 2018.
"I'm going to help (Trump) when I can. But I'm going to be holding him accountable when I need to," he added.
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