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Mehlman: Three Lessons in GOP Losses

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This article was written by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com Senior Editor

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman called himself disappointed on a number of counts, following the Democratic victories in key House and Senate races.

"I think the American people clearly sent a message, and it's a message we need to understand and we need to listen to, and we as Republicans need to follow," Mehlman said Wednesday morning in a Fox News interview.

Mehlman said Republicans must now do three things - first and foremost, rededicating themselves to their "conservative, reform principles."

Second, he said Republicans must "try to work where we can on a bipartisan basis with Democrats," while maintaining conservative principles.

And finally, he said Republicans must lose the taint of corruption: "We need to remember, people who serve...at any level are people that ought to be about public policy and public service."

"If we can focus on those three things...ultimately we will be stronger and will be able to serve the public better and will have learned and grown from it."

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Mehlman congratulated Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who "is about to make history" as the nation's first woman speaker. "That's something that all of us should appreciate and applaud her for," he said.

Mehlman said "there's no reason" why Republicans and Democrats can't work together on national security (the threat posed by "Islamic fascism") immigration reform and health care reform.

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