OKLAHOMA CITY — Just hours after being elected Oklahoma's first female governor, U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin was welcomed Wednesday at the state Capitol with outgoing Gov. Brad Henry urging Oklahomans to rally around her.

Fallin, a Republican, and her staff met with the Democratic governor for about an hour to discuss the transition process. The two-term congresswoman and former lieutenant governor will be sworn into the state's highest elected office in January.

"The elections are over. The campaign is over," Henry said. "The time is now for us to put aside our differences and come together, not as Republicans, Democrats or independents, but as Oklahomans, and rally around our new governor and support our new governor and help her do her job."

Henry had endorsed Fallin's Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, who received less than 40 percent of the vote in Tuesday's elections. The historic night also saw Republicans sweep all eight Democrat-held statewide offices on the ballot and increase their margins in the House and Senate.

Fallin said her legislative focus will be on creating a more business friendly environment in Oklahoma, reducing the size of government and improving education. Besides naming her staff and preparing appointments, Fallin is required to present a balanced budget to lawmakers when they reconvene in February.

State revenues are beginning to recover after two years of sluggish collections. But Fallin and the GOP-led Legislature are expected to face a roughly $500 million shortfall in next year's budget that will require deeper cuts to state agencies. Most agencies have already seen their budgets slashed about 15 percent in recent years.

"We have a lot of work to do," Fallin said.

Fallin said she will announce the appointment of key staff members in the coming days. Henry said office space would be made available immediately at the Capitol to help Fallin and her staff in the transition.

Askins, meanwhile, met Wednesday with her successor in the lieutenant governor's office — state Sen. Todd Lamb. Askins, a former judge and state lawmaker, said she hasn't decided what she will do when her term expires in January.

"I am confident that I'll still be busy after Jan. 10," said Askins, a Duncan native. "Right now I'm focused on the lieutenant governor's office."

Like many Oklahoma Democrats, Askins got caught in a red tide of voters upset with President Barack Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress.

"When you look at the races around the state, legislative and statewide, I think you see a push back to what's going on in Washington, D.C.," Askins said. "I never could convince the voters that the 'D' after my name meant Duncan."