My mama never wore a pair of pants when I was growing up, and now that's all she wears. It was so funny for me when I first started seeing Mama wear pants. It was like it wasn't Mama. Now I've bought her many a pantsuit because she just lives in them.

I had nothing growing up, but I always wanted to be 'sexy,' even before I knew what the word was.

My philosophy is simple: It's a down-home, common, horse-sense approach to things.

They say somebody's 'street smart.' I feel like, if I got intelligence, it's just a country smart.

I am an only child, so not only my father, even my mother is also very supportive of my career.

I'd done acting at a local drama school on Saturdays. I just enjoyed it. It never entered my mind I could possibly do it for a career.

There is no moment where you can rest and think: 'Wonderful, I have that job now. I'm going to spend five years here.' There's a constant judgment on your work that's very strongly related to what you are.

There's a common misconception about running for office. People think it's dreadful, morally compromising work. But I've found the opposite is true. It made a better person and a better feminist. It forced me to take a hard look at my shortcomings.