WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Claiming a mandate from the American people to move the country forward, Senate Democratic leaders said Tuesday they are ready to lead the chamber after four years of GOP control.

"We know that America has spoken," Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, who will become the senate Majority Leader in January, told reporters. "We must do everything we can to move the country forward. We're going to do it in a spirit of bipartisanship. We're certainly going to do it openly, and obtain results"

Sen. Reid also vowed restore bipartisanship on Capitol Hill and said he would regularly consult the Senate's Republican leadership.

Reid's comments came after senate Democrats quickly elected a new leadership for the next term. Reid and Dick Durbin of Illinois retained their top posts while New York Sen. Chuck Schumer -- whose leadership at the helm of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was widely praised -- was promoted to Vice Chair of the Conference. Patty Murray of Washington is set to become Secretary of the Conference.

"We have an awesome responsibility, because we are blessed to serve as Senators in this great nation," Durbin said. "We know that a 51-vote majority is as thin as they come, and that if we're going to be successful, we need to work together on a bi-partisan basis. We not only want to move the right agenda for America, we want to do it in the right way."

Schumer, who will also retain his post at the DSCC, said the midterm elections proved the American people have rejected the Bush Administration policies.

"The American public has rejected the policies of George Bush and they're waiting to see what we can do," Schumer said. "And we are going to show them that we will never loose sight of them in terms of making their lives better and creating a better America for the average person and for all Americans."