LAKELAND, Fla. — During the campaign season, both Republicans and Democrats have used harsh language, saying the country is at risk if either side takes power.

They also say our democracy is at stake and it has created such tension that it has reached a boiling point.

Dennis Ross is a Republican who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. He says he saw division firsthand.

“It got so bad in Congress that we were discouraged from socializing or co-sponsoring bills with Democrats,” Ross says.

He says now is the time for bipartisanship.

“We have to have respect. Nothing good comes from the action of disrespect. We have to be able to have empathetic listening," he says.

"I don’t have to agree with you. I just want to know why you feel the way you do, and we’ve got to find common ground."

Ross says many lawmakers came together after the deadly Congressional baseball shooting in Virginia in June 2017 that left one dead and several others wounded, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

He says that in the aftermath, many put their differences aside, including himself. He even built a close friendship with Congressman Dan Kildee, a Democrat.

Ross says it is time to put differences aside and for both political parties to do some soul searching — especially in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump.

After leaving office, Ross is now focused on teaching and political reforms. He wrote a book called “Reaching Across the Aisles” and says civility needs to be taught and practiced.