My view on issues is based on common sense, and my experience as a mother of four children, as a sole parent, and as a businesswoman running a fish and chip shop.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I come from a dysfunctional family, so my views of parents and parenting used to be highly mixed.
One of the biggest issues that we face is that we have people who have their own particular concerns, whether it's on abortion, birth control, divorce and remarriage, civil rights or social justice.
I raised five children. They all have different personalities. All of them have different issues, different levels of success. That was a learning experience for me.
My vision for the future always centers around our children - it always centers around our children. So anytime anybody asks me what are the three most important issues facing the Congress, I always say the same thing: 'Our children, our children, our children.'
Like everybody, my views on many issues have changed as I have gotten older.
All issues are women's issues - and there are several that are just women's business.
I have two children who are daughters, so female issues have always registered high on my scale of awareness.
When you have children, your perspective on the parent-child relationship alters.
I think a man and a woman, on a whole array of issues, including raising children, have differences, and then you work them through.
As an expert, I can deal with complex problems. As a mother it is much, much harder.