Now in minority party, GOP Reps. Brian Mast, Bill Posey say they'll still be effective in Congress

When the 116th Congress convenes in January, Republican congressmen representing the Treasure Coast will move from the majority party to the minority.

Partisan politics is expected to continue as Democrats take control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years and Republicans strengthen their hold on the Senate.

But Reps. Brian Mast of Palm City, whose District 18 includes Martin, St. Lucie and northern Palm Beach counties, and Bill Posey of Rockledge, whose District 8 includes Indian River County, say their key issues are mostly bipartisan.

"Water is a bipartisan issue," said Mast, who won re-election to a second term over Democrat Lauren Baer. "I think it I'll be able to advocate for clean water will change whether I'm in the majority party or the minority party."

More: Mast re-elected over challenger Baer

The challenge for both parties, Posey told Florida Today, will be "putting aside their differences and trying to work together to solve the problems they were sent to Washington to work on."

Posey, who easily won a sixth term by defeating Democrat Sanjay Patel, said clean water, space and national defense should not be partisan issues.

More: Posey easily re-elected to House District 8 seat

"With every piece of legislation that I passed," he said, "I had a Democratic co-sponsor, where we tried to find common ground."

Mast will maintain his membership on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. But his role as vice chairman of the subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will go to a Democrat.

A bipartisan effort by the Florida delegation led to the reservoir designed to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers being included in the Water Resources Development Act signed by President Donald Trump in October.

More:Trump signs law authorizing reservoir to cut discharges

The act, known by the acronym WRDA and commonly called "word-uh," also contains nine provisions authored by Mast, including one requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to update the guidelines used to determine when discharges are made.

Mast said he'll continue to work toward getting the Army Corps of Engineers to hold less water in Lake Okeechobee during the dry season so it will have space to hold more water during the wet season, preventing the need for discharges.

Mast said he attributes his re-election "largely, but not entirely" to his work toward stopping Lake O discharges.

"We got things done we said we'd get done," Mast said. "We were out there every day fighting for clean water, and I think people saw that. But this is a district that, to the voters' credit, elects both Republicans and Democrats. I don't think of it as a safe seat. I have to work for it it."

Posey, who serves on the House's Science, Space and Technology Committee and the Financial Services Committee, said his priorities include growing the Congressional Estuary Caucus, funding the space program and continuing to grow the commercial space sector.

More:Ron DeSantis, Bill Posey receive 0 on environment voting scorecard; Brian Mast also scores low

Posey said it's "important for members of Congress to serve the people of their districts regardless of political perspectives and other differences — it's an awesome responsibility."

Voters stood by him in his sixth quest to represent District 8, Posey said, because "I've got a record of accomplishment. ... I've gained their trust and I've worked for it."