When Republican leader Mitch McConnell tapped Sen. Pat Toomey for a seat on the deficit supercommittee, it was largely seen as a symbolic nod to the tea party. But a funny thing happened when Toomey walked into the negotiating room in Washington: Toomey turned into a key compromiser.

The Pennsylvanian, Sen. Pat Toomey, was one of six Republican members appointed Wednesday to Congress' new 12-member "supercommittee." Formally known as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, the panel will be asked to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years.

Sen. Pat Toomey said he was open-minded about almost any proposal to reduce the national debt and get the economy going. But on one score, his mind is made up. "I'm not interested in some kind of big tax increase; that would be counterproductive," said Toomey.