Byron Donalds

The midterm elections are over, and the political landscape looks markedly different. Democrats have taken control of Congress, and voters have reshaped leadership in states across the country, from Maine to Texas and South Carolina to California.

Amid this sweeping shift, leaders from both parties made a familiar promise in their victory speeches. They will govern for everyone, not just those who voted for them.

In Florida, Republican Governor-elect Byron Donalds promised to represent all Floridians, regardless of how they voted. In Texas, Democratic Senator-elect James Talarico told those who didn’t support him, “I will be your senator too. I will always serve you. I will always fight for you.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized the responsibility to deliver results, saying, “The American people don’t want us to get even. They want us to get things done on their behalf.” President Donald Trump has also expressed a willingness to work with Democrats rather than spend the next two years vetoing legislation.

Will these leaders hold up to their promise to work across party lines to tackle the problems Americans share? Or will they retreat into partisan corners, dismiss good ideas simply because they come from the other side and spend the next two years fighting over who gets the credit or blame?

After years of political gridlock and partisan fighting, Americans have reason to wonder whether this time will be any different, and it’s not hard to see why.

A new national survey by the National Governors Association found that only 10% of registered voters say they most often see healthy disagreement in American politics — while 83% say it’s disrespect or dehumanization they most often see.

Yet there’s broad agreement across party lines about what Americans want instead: 80% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans say they’re more likely to trust leaders who demonstrate dignity.

Americans aren’t asking their leaders to stop disagreeing. They’re asking them to disagree differently. But what does that actually require?

It means giving good ideas a fair chance, even when they come from the other party. It means listening to people with different views and looking for ways to collaborate on issues like healthcare, education and the rising cost of living. It means not assuming the other party or other colleagues are operating in bad faith or with malicious intent. And healthy disagreement also means standing up for what you believe in without refusing to work with people who see things differently.

All of this remains important regardless of which side wins or loses.

In a video released by Disagree Better, 12 Republican and Democratic state legislators, some celebrating victories and others facing defeat this week, shared a commitment to keep working across political differences. Their message is a reminder that even when we disagree, the person on the other side is still a colleague, family member, friend, neighbor, fellow American.

Of course, lawmakers won’t agree on every issue, and we shouldn’t ask them to abandon their convictions. However, they should recognize that staying at the table, even when it’s difficult, is a large part of the responsibility of governing. This is also the standard Americans expect from their leaders.

This election has changed the balance of power in Washington and across the country. Whether it changes Americans’ faith in their government is still an open question. As the attention shifts from the results to the work of governing in this new landscape, Americans should remember the promises made in these victory speeches — not just the promises about what they will govern on, but also how they will govern.

If leaders can turn their promises into meaningful action, they have an opportunity to do more than address the everyday challenges facing Americans. They can begin rebuilding the trust that our political system so desperately needs.