The Christian Science Monitor

Searching for common ground? Start with the Constitution.

Janet Breslin spent many a day sitting here looking out over the lake behind her Salem, New Hampshire, home after a tense five years when her husband served as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Her experiences living abroad heightened her appreciation for America’s system of government.

Donald Trump won more votes here in Salem than in any other New Hampshire town, which makes Janet Breslin’s job especially challenging – but also exciting.

She’s the new chair of the Salem Democratic Town Committee, marshaling the troops in a corner of a local coffee shop on a recent summer morning. They are outgrowing this corner, their ranks having swelled with representatives from some of the two dozen campaigns building up their teams in New Hampshire, which hosts the first-in-the-nation primary.

As they go around the room for campaign updates, a young woman shares that Tulsi Gabbard is coming the following week. Dr. Breslin wants to

From a Chilean coup to ambassador’s residence in SaudiProblem-solving with patiencePart 1: Overcoming despair: How a Green Beret came back strongerPart 2: With compassion and faith, a mayor leads his city through the opioid crisis Part 3: Amid tariffs and floods, a farmer finds hope in the next crop of KansansPart 4: Why America remains a beacon of hope for Liberian refugee

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