Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman to serve as both a governor and a U.S. senator, often finds ways to break through the partisan gridlock in Congress by seeking common ground on issues involving pharmaceutical costs, military funding, and the opioid epidemic. The strategy is one demanded by her constituents in New Hampshire, a state that had been strongly Republican until Democrats gained ground in recent election cycles. Shaheen earned a master’s degree in political science at the University of Mississippi and her first experience working on a campaign was Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential bid. She later managed Gary Hart’s surprise victory in New Hampshire’s 1984 primary.

Learn what Jeanne Shaheen says about finding common ground