MIAMI ( CBS4) - After a sleepless and exciting night, Allen West is plotting his next move as the new U.S. Congressman of the 22nd district. He said his priorities remain the same as outlined on the campaign trail.

"That's the fiscal security and the physical security of the American people," he said. "So you look at right back here over my shoulder, the Winn-Dixie that has closed down. We've got to get our small businesses and corporations back open and up."

West, a Republican, unseated two term Democrat Ron Klein by 9 percentage points. The victory was an upset after a tightly contested down and dirty race. The West win pushed Klein out of office in much the same manner he came in back in 2006.

That's when Democratic candidates swept the nations races out of political discontent. Tuesday, the discontent was directed at Democrats, ushering in Republicans to their seats.

"Right now, the American people rejected the liberal progressive legislative agenda, but they are not yet ready to put the full trust and confidence back in the Republican party," said West. "We gotta earn that."

West said he will also work to earn the trust of disappointed democrats still licking their wounds after the fierce fight to the end.

"They may not like me," said West. "They're certainly not going to love me. But I think they have to respect me for the fact that I stood and ran a campaign that was focused on the issues and not about the mudslinging and the dirt that I had to endure."

West has about two weeks until he has to report to Washington D.C. for his orientation. In the meantime, he said he will work on his cabinet and plans to talk with his longtime mentor, former Congressman E. Clay Shaw, about committee appointments.

Klein released a statement that read in part: "We love this community, and remain devoted to the families and businesses here, both today and tomorrow. We will always find ways to serve, because difficult times require everyday people to give of themselves to move this country forward."