Alabama Sen. Katie Britt cites friendship with Democrats in calling for more respectful discourse

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Katie Britt confided Tuesday that she counts some Democratic colleagues among her best friends in the Senate and said such cross-party relationships are essential to governing, especially as social media fuels widening political divisions.

During a visit to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s hometown, the first-term Alabama Republican also recounted how she carved out a unique role in the GOP conference as an adviser to McConnell and spoke about the need for U.S. strength to deter threats from foreign adversaries.

Nearly a month after delivering a blistering critique of Democratic President Joe Biden for her party, Britt stressed the importance of treating people with respect — even when disagreeing with them on issues — in a speech at the University of Louisville.

“How do we get back to that in this country, where you don’t actually have to agree with someone to show them respect?” she said. “In today’s society it is increasingly hard to have an open and honest dialogue with somebody else that maybe doesn’t share your viewpoint. I think it’s a disservice, both to our people as a nation and to the progress that we can make.”

McConnell introduced Britt to the audience and said she had “mastered a skill that still confounds some of my colleagues — you don’t have to agree with someone to work with them.”

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Deadly severe weather roars through several states, spawning potential tornadoes