The outpouring of grief on the death of Sen. Andy Hill is something I won’t ever forget. Political leaders and ordinary people of every political stripe came together to show support for the Hill family, and to reflect on his remarkable life of public service, cut tragically short by cancer.

What always struck me about Sen. Hill was his ability to listen respectfully to all sides, his humility in knowing that he didn’t have all the answers, combined with his willingness to work hard to forge bipartisan solutions. Those qualities are what made him such a successful leader. Strong leaders listen. They don’t diminish or personally attack those with opposing viewpoints.

That’s why I was so bitterly disappointed to read about the hyper-partisan and mean-spirited attacks on Republican women from the recently announced 45th Legislative District Democrat candidate for Hill’s senate seat. In a recent Facebook post, Democrat candidate Manka Dhingra said that she “cannot understand women” who are Republicans, and that the personality of Republican women can only be explained as one of powerful “self hate.”

Although Dhingra posted her comments on Oct. 1, 2016, her Facebook page has since been locked down and unavailable for the public to view. This type of destructive, incendiary and divisive rhetoric is a disservice to the legacy of Hill, and insulting to all women, regardless of party or politics. Hill brought us together — Republicans, Democrats, Independents and everyone. Hill gave my bi-racial, disabled teen the opportunity to serve as his page in Olympia for a week. Hill stood for inclusion. Dhingra’s rhetoric serves only to divide us, pitting group against group, party against party and person against person. That’s not the community I know and love.

I truly hope moving forward that we can start to listen to one other, respect differences, and appreciate the perspectives everyone brings to the issues impacting our community. Just like Hill did.

Cassandra Sage

Kirkland

Editor’s note: Dhingra posted her Facebook comments during the presidential debates regarding a Seattle Times letter to the editor on Sept. 29, 2016: “Election 2016: What’s at stake with a male presidency.” She posted her comments before she filed for candidacy in the 45th Legislative District.