As a former real-life hockey mom, I remember watching Stanley Cup playoff games with my boys. What struck me was that after those high-intensity, physical games of hockey, the players would line up at the end of the series and shake hands at center ice. 

I’ve thought of that often as I’ve met newly elected members of Congress from both parties from all over the country during these early meetings before we are all officially sworn in next month. If in the brutal game of hockey the players can do that, well why then, in what can be a brutal political arena, can’t we all just get along, shake hands, and play nice in the end?

During my campaign travels, the most common plea from people was for me to help end the gridlock that is paralyzing our country and contributing to the hyper-partisanship that has taken over Congress. Yes, jobs and the economy still are our top issues. But people see the bigger picture that our nation can’t address these, or any other key issues, without first finding ways to compromise and disagree respectfully.