Worst-case scenario: You lose this election. What would it take for you to run again?

"First, the decision would be about the challenges facing our families, and whether I could make a difference for people across the state. And then, it would be a discussion with my family. Whenever I’m making a decision like that, we get together and try to determine what’s best for our family. And we also try to figure out what kind of impact we can make as a family. While my son Ben can’t speak and he can’t walk, he is very mentally and cognitively able, and he certainly participates in decisions like that in our family."

It always seems suspect when strong women say gender hasn't impacted them at all. Can you tell us about a moment when you encountered sexism?

"In New Hampshire, we have a strong tradition of women in leadership positions. In the State House, we have fourth graders visiting all the time from across the state on class trips. And sometimes I’ll meet a fourth grader who was unaware that a woman could be governor. But more often, I hear stories, like one from one of our state senators. He told me his young daughters saw that I had called him. One of his daughters asked him whether he planned to run for governor one day. He asked them what they thought, and his older daughter replied that he couldn’t run for governor because he wasn’t a girl.

"We know that when there are more perspectives represented, when there are women at the table — and crucially, at the head of the table — we make better decisions. And while I’m proud of our strong tradition of women in leadership positions in our state, we still need to do more to encourage women to seek out leadership positions."

As a woman, particularly one in the spotlight, how do you combat the pressure to be all-around perfect?

"The most important thing is making sure that women know that whether you’re studying, in the workforce, or have a family — you can always find a way to make it work.

"And that means first, you need to have the confidence to believe that you’ll be able to find a way to make it work. Second, you need to surround yourself with people who will always support you no matter what."

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

"The best piece of advice I’ve ever received was from my dad, who told me to never confuse luck with merit. It was his way of both encouraging hard work but cautioning against self-satisfaction."

Worst piece of advice you've ever received?

"I’m sure that I’ve gotten some bad advice over the years, but I really try not to remember bad advice!"

What advice do you wish someone had given you but never did?

"One of the best parts of my job as governor is getting to travel around the state and talking directly to people and businesses. And Granite Staters are never shy. They tell me about their concerns and priorities — and how they think we can best move forward as a state. So, whether it’s from my family or the families I meet in Dunkin' Donuts or Market Basket, people give me a lot of great advice."

Correction: An earlier version of this piece said Hassan was the nation's only female Democratic governor. She was the only one until the 2014 election.