GOP’s Gardner: Governing ‘with maturity’ will help 2016 nominee

More ABC US news | ABC Health News

Incoming Sen.-elect Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said on Sunday that reducing dysfunction in Washington would ultimately help the Republican presidential nominee in 2016. 

He also said if Republicans are not able to govern “with maturity” when controlling both chambers of Congress, the GOP will see those gains slip away in two years. 

{mosads}”Let’s show that we can do it with Republicans and Democrats, and prove to the American people that Washington learned its lesson. And that will ultimately help Republicans in 2016 when it comes to our nominee,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.” 

Gardner defeated Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) in last Tuesday’s election — one in a number of pickups for Republicans as they took back control of the chamber. 

Full repeal of ObamaCare continues to be fantasy, Gardner said, even with Republicans controlling both chambers.

“I do think we need to repeal and replace ObamaCare, but the president named Obama is not going to repeal a bill named ObamaCare,” he said, on ABC’s “This Week.”

Republicans should take smaller slashes at the healthcare law, he said, like repealing the medical device tax, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, and a provision that defines a full-time employee as someone who works 30 hours a week.

He also pressed President Obama to reconsider taking executive action on immigration reform before the end of the year. 

“I’m concerned that he won’t be doing the right thing, and that would hurt our ability to move forward [in] the next two years,” he said, echoing other Republicans. “Let’s do the right thing, let’s work together, let’s find solutions.”

—Updated 11:46 a.m.