“We always like to say that we're the biggest kid on the block, but sometimes that's not always true, and sometimes the biggest kid on the block doesn't need to always solve every problem. I think you just have to have measured responses.”

Mike Grabman, stay at home dad in Charleston, South Carolina

Wind turbines in the winter landscape in Iowa. The state only trails behind Texas and California in installed wind power capacity, according to the Department of Energy.

A horse runs on a Blairsburg, Iowa farm on Jan 23, 2016.

“I just can't believe that some people would think it's okay not to let refugees in, in a time when they're trying to get away from everything that we hate. That is just absolutely inhumane to me and it's absurd to think that we are over there, trying to fight against what these people are doing and the ones that are most affected, we aren't giving them a safe haven.”

Roise Bosch, stay at home mom and Cardiovascular Sonographer in Columbia, South Carolina.

“The falsehoods in politics make me anxious because I don't know if what I'm seeing is what is real. I'm extremely cynical. I don't trust any of them, even the ones I lean toward, in theory, I don't trust. Everything about politics makes me anxious because I never think that anyone has my best interest at heart. It's almost always a matter of the lesser of two evils.”

Julia Simpkins, Army Chaplain Center and School in Lugoff, South Carolina

An American Flag hangs in South Carolina on February 20, 2016.

The Echo Theater was once a white nationalism and neo-Nazi clothing store in Laurens, South Carolina called the Redneck Shop – the store closed after judge ruling in December 2011 giving ownership to Rev. David Kennedy. Echo Theater was formerly owned by Michael Burden, who himself was a Grand Dragon in the Ku Klux Klan but is now owned by Rev. David Kennedy, a black civil rights leader and Baptist pastor.

"It's no longer for the people or by the people. "

Mary Kathleen Jelley Ellis, retired in Clayton, Georgia

First Christian Church sign in Georgia on February 29, 2016.

"We are due for a major healing, I think that would involve us being honest with ourselves, and realizing that the size of our government is getting out of control, and we need to get the power back into the people, instead of the government, the bureaucrats, the lobbyists and the big corporations."

Kyle Morris, property manager at Target in Grantville, Georgia

“[Politics has] become entertainment. It has become media and clearly Trump is the most entertaining and that's why he's on top I feel, or I fear."

Kim Latford, VP at ClearPop for Rapid Earache Relief and Yoga/Pilates instructor in Daytona Beach, Florida

“We're going to have some kind of civil war revolution. There's no way around it. We can't feed our kids. Nobody ever talks about this in the media.”

Kathleen Steward, photojournalist, sailing instructor and a boat captain in Saint Augustine, Florida

The white crosses symbolize the number of deaths by abortion at Nombre de Dios a Spanish Catholic mission in St. Augustine, Florida

“I don't think there would be a healing in this country, I really don't. There are too many people out there who, there has to be an adversarial relationship for the people to become anything: to get money, to get fame, to get notoriety. We're not going to have a healing. The basis of a politician is an adversarial relationship. Those are the ideas they're going to bring forth, that's the groups that they got to stir up. There will not be a healing in this country. We've become so segmented in this country, it can't happen. I just hope it doesn't end up to a situation of actual extreme violence between groups. But you're not going to see a healing in this country. Politicians will not allow it. It means they would have to get along.”

Stanley Ray Mitchell, retired process chemist in Deland, Florida

“I think that we do need to heal. When I was in college I remember talking to my mom about Vietnam and I said, “You know we have to stop this, we have nuclear weapons, we could kill everybody.” And she said, “Ohhh, we said that in World War II, it never happens, everything will be alright.” Then I realized until that generation all died with their denial nothing is going to change and now I’m afraid some of my generation are so angry, I don’t know what’s going to change them. I guess we have to get to the kids.”

Laura Stewart, College Professor in Deland, Florida

“Freedom just is not free, you know, it’s just not free. There is a price to be paid and there is a lot of people who have paid the ultimate price for that.”

Ence Spann, Police Officer in Sanford, Florida

“I think we've reached a crossroad. We need to leave so much of our past and what we've gone through behind. And then we need to move forward. We have huge gaping scars. I don't know that they've ever really healed.”

Lindsey Fera, ER nurse, Exeter, New Hampshire

“I think America is healing already, but it’s about continuing that healing. Personally, I think the only way to continue that healing is to continue pushing equal opportunity, efforts which will benefit the environment and not building walls between the United States and Mexico.”

Nelly Leilani Torres, Actress in Miramar, Florida

"We're overdue for a healing, we're way overdue but it's not just going to happen without all of us, we the people standing together, working together and gaining back jobs in this country, getting our infrastructure, that will get millions of jobs to people. That would be such a wonderful boost to the economy. We need that. We need that healing and that healing can come and I think it will come but it will only come if we have a strong decisive, not a divisive leader. We need someone who will boost America. Who will boost the people to be sure of themselves, to feeling proud of themselves, to being happy with their accomplishments, that's healing. When you become surer and happier within your own self, you're not only happier with your outside, you're even happier internally."

Toni Holt Kramer in Palm Beach, Florida

“My philosophy is that I don't think we have to police the entire world. I do think we need to quit investing in the military complex. Sad to say that I feel that we have a lot of people who are making a lot of money keeping the world situation stirred up.”

Charles Downie, retired history teacher in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

“There are people who have been frightened into believing that they are threatened by things that I don't view as any kind of a threat to them or to me. I would love for America to have a major healing. It is what I look for in somebody who can bring us together.”

Barbara Laverick, retired history teacher in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

NH-28 - Wolfeboro, New Hampshire on February 6, 2016.

“It’s through fear that people lose their humanity. Really, we would love everybody if we weren’t afraid of people who were different from us. Fear monger's natural tactic is to highlight fears or drawing people who are different from their electoral base.”

Dr. Austin Baeth, Des Moines, Iowa.

Gun Show at Des Moines Adventureland Amusement Park on January 17, 2016

"I think that everybody would have a much better opportunity if we were not taking care of the rest of the world, and (with) all the illegals that are here (that are) encouraging more to come. We just need to say, 'It's our turn. It's America's turn to get back on their feet.' I'm very passionate about that.”

Pat Thompson, Des Moines, Iowa.

“It's been corrupted by capitalism and people that have concentrated wealth and have determined to keep it. It's pretty scary. It's more than anxious. It's terrifying if you think of the way it's raping our culture and our planet.”

Joe Lynch, farmer, Ames, Iowa.

“In order to change anything today, with the people, you must first start with the youth. Do like the farmer do. He plants a seed. That's how the farmer does it. So that's what we got to do with our youth, plant a seed. Plant a seed, meaning you got to make things possible to nourish these kids.”

Al “Hollywood” Meggett, boxing instructor in Charleston, South Carolina

“I think helping out the middle class and lowers classes are important. Gay rights are important to me. I also want somebody who's not going to be so aggressive with an American agenda and the world. Why do we always have to stick our nose in everything?”

Lizabeth Molloy, Music Teacher in Charleston, South Carolina

I would say my priorities is I want a president who's going to look out for me to ... I'm a woman, I'm gay, I have student loans, I want to retire one day. Those are things that are just very important to me. I'm a first generation, I'm an immigrant. Those are a lot of things that wouldn't be possible if someone presidents weren't cool with that stuff.

Keannette Perez, Graphic Designer in Charleston, South Carolina

“I think politics is a good thing. It can certainly have negative aspects to it, but the back and forth and people talking is a good thing. It doesn't always work the way you want it to work.”

Marylou Gunderson (with husband Bob), Des Moines, Iowa.

"I feel like all the candidates are just trying to make each other look bad in a more dramatic way this time. And more than usual, they're worrying about what's best for this country. But I feel like everyone's fighting and saying rude things about each other, and it's kind of childish... I just feel like that's not what we are going for. We're trying to find who's going to lead this country and who's going to make a better place to live, instead of who's the most popular one. It's like high school with old people. I think they're just forgetting what the meaning is.”

Travis Ness, a drag performer in Des Moines, Iowa.