Reagan Shrugs Off Election: You ‘Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’

WASHINGTON —  President Reagan, shrugging off a landslide election loss in the Senate he had barnstormed the nation two months to avert, pledged today to keep pressing ahead with his programs and promised, “Washington ain’t seen nothing yet.”

In a pep talk to White House staffers, Reagan congratulated the winners of both parties in Tuesday’s midterm elections and expressed his condolences to the losers.

The results, the President said, brought “fairly good news although we lost the Senate.”

He noted the gain of eight GOP governors and said that “over overwhelming historical odds, we kept our base in the House,” losing only a handful of seats compared to the usual heavier losses by the President’s party during midterm elections.

‘Lost Six Cliffhangers’

But Reagan added, “We lost six cliffhangers in the Senate” with GOP candidates gaining 49% or more of the vote. “This is not the outcome we sought,” he said, “but our agenda is unchanged and I look forward to its attainment.”

The President said he intends to pursue an agenda of prosperity, greater productivity and peace through strength.

“You can take it from me,” Reagan declared, “Washington ain’t seen nothing yet.”

The President said that he would welcome the new Congress back in the spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation but that the voters did not pick him for just two years but four.

“For two years more my friends let us make history together,” Reagan said.