Roy Blunt: “well, some farewell speeches are different than others. I think this farewell speech should very much be just a…”

“well, some farewell speeches are different than others. I think this farewell speech should very much be just a momentary pause for us to think about what comes next. Cory Gardner is incredibly accomplished. He has been good for the Senate. He has been great with his colleagues, and he has been, beyond that, even more constantly focused on Colorado. He has become, for me, a valued personal friend. Our families, for whatever reason, from almost the first time we spent any time together, sort of gravitated toward each other and continued to do things together. And why not? Jaime is great. Cory is that beam of sunshine that Senator Bennet and Senator Collins both have talked about, 365 days a year. He is optimistic. He is determined. He is realistic. Those are all three pretty doggone good characteristics for a successful legislator. He also continues to figure out, OK, that didn't work and what can we do that makes that work in some other way, to be determined to get the job done, to be realistic about how an obstacle can be in the way and understand how to come together and make all those things work. Now, Senator Collins, particularly, mentioned that long list of truly great legislative fights that Cory has successfully led in. One of them we worked together on has been the effort to be sure that people who weren't able to get broadband--people in rural areas and people in urban areas who maybe had broadband but couldn't afford it.…”