Baldwin Says Her Election Will Make Senate More Diverse

Tammy Baldwin, the Democratic Senator-elect from Wisconsin and the first openly gay woman elected to the Senate, said on Wednesday that her victory will make the Senate more diverse.

“I think that we will see a Senate that is more reflective of America,” Baldwin said on CNN. “We’re certainly not there yet. But this will be a change that will move us forward and we'll have the life experience of more women in the United States Senate.”

But Baldwin emphasized that her election, while historic, is also a signal that voters want Congress to work together on challenges like the looming fiscal cliff.

“I didn't run to make history, I ran to make a difference,” Baldwin said, adding that Wisconsin selected her in order to help "tackle our deficit in a way that doesn't short-change our future."