Sen.-elect Scott Brown visits Reid

WASHINGTON — Sen. Harry Reid met Thursday with Sen.-elect Scott Brown, the Massachusetts Republican whose election this week has changed the course of Congress.

Brown visited with Reid, the Senate majority leader, as one in a series of courtesy calls on Capitol Hill in advance of his swearing in, which Brown said he expected to take place next week.

The incoming senator also visited with Sens. John Kerry and Paul Kirk of Massachusetts and Republicans John McCain and Mitch McConnell, who were decidedly happy to greet him as the person who could tip more power to the GOP caucus.

Brown becomes the 41st member of the Republican caucus, giving McConnell, the Senate minority leader, enough votes to follow through on filibuster threats against Democratic bills.

Brown sat beside Reid in an anteroom in the senator’s suite across from the Senate chamber in a meeting that lasted about 10 minutes. Aides were present for most of it, before the men retired to an inner office for a brief private conversation.

A Reid spokesman said he believed it was the first time the two had ever met. Reid and Brown spoke briefly with reporters near the end of the meeting but declined to take questions. Reid noted he had called Brown on Wednesday, and invited him to stop by.

During the meeting, Reid said the two spoke about “the prowess of our athletic children,” according to Kathleen Hunter, a reporter for Congressional Quarterly who was allowed into the room.

“So we had a pleasant visit,” Reid said.

Reid’s youngest son Key was a star midfielder on the University of Virginia soccer team in the mid-1990s. Brown’s daughter Ayla plays basketball at Boston College.

Reid then spoke to Brown.

“I, of course, welcome you to the Capitol,” Reid said.

“Thank you, Mr. Leader,” Brown said.

In what was considered a big upset, Brown captured the Senate seat that had been held for 46 years by Democratic stalwart Sen. Edward Kennedy until he died in August. (Kirk was appointed interim senator.) The Republican victory deprived Democrats of a filibuster-proof 60 vote majority.

The GOP victory has spurred the White House and congressional Democrats to re-evaluate their chances to pass key elements of President Barack Obama’s domestic agenda, topped by health care reform.

Reid joked that he’d read a news report Thursday morning that Brown’s election would make his job as majority leader easier.

“I hope that’s the case,” Reid said, prompting laughter from Brown. “But anyway thank you very much.”

“We’re going to have an interesting time this year,” Reid told Brown. “You’re going to enter the Senate at a time when the country is in deep trouble — as you know, that was a lot what your campaign was about — and I look forward to working with you.”

Brown said, “I wanted to just say publicly that I appreciate the across-the-aisle gesture, and I hope that we can work to just solve the problems of our great country.”

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at 202-783-1760 or stetreault@reviewjournal.com