As a political representative, I feel comfortable saying that for many of us in this line of work, Abraham Lincoln is a figure we strive to live up to. His poise, his confidence, his command of the English language was the right combination of public servant and political savant that saved our country from being torn down the middle. 

And on his election day, November 6, I find myself thinking about what Lincoln’s leadership still has to teach us.

Many of us remember the flashcard notes of his presidency and his tenure as a president of war during our nation’s bloodiest conflict. 

His hard work is nothing to shake a stick at; he lost his mother when he was only nine years old, and was raised instead by a combination of his father, sister and cousin. 

His father was a laborer on farms, but Lincoln worked to educate himself through two short stints of schooling in Kentucky and Indiana. 

His youth was spent charting his own path, which would eventually see him become a self-taught lawyer, ascend to the Illinois State Legislature, and then to the presidency. His resilience was nothing short of remarkable.

His ability to forgive, to help heal, might’ve been what truly saved the United States of America. He was described as a moderate Republican, and Lincoln’s presidency was constantly pulled into different areas of focus. 

None was more pressing than the Civil War. 

At the end of the war, both Democrats and Republicans in the Union were looking for revenge against the former Confederates. Lincoln’s determination to heal a nation through forgiveness and reunification was able to trump the dissenting voices by way of a combination of political patronage, exploiting of mutual enmity, and appeals to the American people at large.

Abraham Lincoln wasn’t interested in forgetting the past, but he prioritized forging a future together. His leadership redefined what Americans thought of their country. For so long, the average American viewed the United States as still a collection of colonies working harmoniously but tensely—and separately. Abraham Lincoln unified the nation in a new way; the people didn’t say “The United States are” anymore; they began to say “The United States is.” 

Under President Lincoln, we became one nation. He paid for it with his life, but his service and sacrifice have inspired millions today to come together and work in harmony for the betterment of one nation. That’s inspiring.

Karl Brabenec (R, C-98) is the assemblyman for parts of Orange and Rockland counties, including the Town of Deerpark and the City of Port Jervis.