When the Senate passed the annual defense policy bill Thursday on an eye-popping 86-11 vote, it stood as a vivid counterpoint to the partisan rancor that surrounded the House’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act.

And to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), it was also further proof of the magic power of cross-party relationships and another example of how they can make Washington work.

Sinema, who is known for her close personal relationships with Republican senators, played an active role in shepherding the bill across the floor. She explained to Huddle in a rare interview how she went to work, offering a primer on her methods for solving problems on major bills.

“The first place I look is: What does someone need and what is the obstacle in the way of them getting what they need?” she said. “And then you get that list and then you just kind of go point by point by point, person by person by person, and figure out: How can you help address that person’s need? Can you solve their problem?”