Quotes on Republican win in Massachusetts

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama's Democratic Party suffered a stinging setback on Tuesday as Republican Scott Brown came from behind to win a Senate seat for Massachusetts and rob the Democrats of their 60-seat supermajority.

The following are quotes reacting to the election.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID

"We welcome Scott Brown to the Senate and will move to seat him as soon as the proper paperwork has been received."

"While Senator-elect Brown's victory changes the political math in the Senate, we remain committed to strengthening our economy, creating good paying jobs and ensuring all Americans can access affordable health care. We hope that Scott Brown will join us in these efforts. There is much work to do to address the problems Democrats inherited last year, and we plan to move full speed ahead."

"Regardless of the size of their minority caucus, Senate Republicans have always had an obligation to join us in governing our nation through these difficult times. Today's election doesn't change that; In fact it is now more important than before for Republicans to work with us rather than against us if we are to find common ground that improves Americans' lives."

SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL

"I want to congratulate Senator-elect Scott Brown on his decisive victory. There's a reason the nation was focused on this race: The voters in Massachusetts, like Americans everywhere, have made it abundantly clear where they stand on health care. They don't want this bill and want Washington to listen to them. Americans are investing their hopes in good Republican candidates to reverse a year-long Democrat trend of ignoring the American people on the issues of health care, spending and the growth of government."

CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

"House Democrats have been preparing since day one last year for what we knew historically would be a very challenging election cycle."

"President George W. Bush and House Republicans drove our economy into a ditch and tried to run away from the accident. President Obama and congressional Democrats have been focused repairing the damage to our economy."

"Elections are about choices and this year's Midterms will be a choice between continuing the economic progress and independent leadership that House Democrats are delivering for their districts versus Republicans who are eager to turn back the clock to the same failed Bush-Cheney policies that brought our economy to the brink of collapse."

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER JOHN BOEHNER

"While Democratic leaders may be tempted to quickly ram their government takeover of health care down America's throat, they should take Scott's victory as an opportunity to scrap their bill, start over, and start working with Republicans on the issues that matter to American families, especially jobs and our struggling economy."

"Republicans have better solutions that will curb spending, cut taxes, help small businesses create new jobs, get control of the debt, and lower health care costs while stopping a government takeover. Out-of-touch Washington Democrats can now do one of two things: work with Republicans to help the country, or keep their heads in the sand and face the consequences this November."

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN TIM KAINE

"It goes without saying that we are disappointed in tonight's result. There will be plenty of time to dissect this race and to apply the lessons learned from it those to come this fall - but in the meantime we will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the America people and we will redouble our efforts to lay out a clear choice for voters this November."

"I want to thank our state parties and our DNC and Organizing for America staff and volunteers all across the country who have worked tirelessly on this campaign and who will continue to support President Obama and work for the change we all believe is essential to getting our nation moving in the right direction again."

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MICHAEL STEELE

"Now that the people of Massachusetts have made their choice clear, the Senate must move quickly to seat Senator-Elect Brown so that the people have their chosen representative in the Senate as soon as possible. Over the past year, independent voters in Virginia, New Jersey and now Massachusetts have made their voices heard by sending a clear message that they've had enough of the binge spending and government-growing agenda coming from Washington. Democrats everywhere are officially on notice."

FORMER REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SARAH PALIN

"Clearly this victory is a bellwether for the big election night ten months from now. In the spirit of bipartisanship, let me offer some advice to the Democrats on how to stem this populist tide. Scrap your current health care bill and start from scratch. We all want true reform, but government mandated insurance is not it. Scott Brown campaigned against this top-down bureaucratic mess. We need common sense solutions like reforming malpractice laws, allowing people to purchase insurance across state lines, giving individual purchasers the same tax benefits as those who get coverage through their employers, and letting small businesses pool together to provide insurance for their employees. Focus your efforts on jobs, not on job-killing legislation. Such a change in approach would show Americans that you're listening."

(Reporting by Tabassum Zakaria; Editing by Mary Milliken)