Newly sworn in U.S. Senator Kay Hagan enters an arena that will test her mettle, likely try her patience and place her in the path of both supporters and critics often.

We believe she has the ability to maneuver those uncharted waters, at least on the national scene, particularly given her record as a North Carolina lawmaker.

But we would be remiss if we didn’t take an opportunity to voice the advise we and so many of her constituents in Sampson County we hope she will consider as she begins to represent one of the greatest states in the nation.

As Hagan begins her duties on Capitol Hill, she will be met with some of the toughest issues to face any lawmaker, including what she is calling her top priority — the economy. We are glad she sees it that way, and we hope she will, in her deliberations and her decisions, remember to keep North Carolina and her citizens at the forefront.

Oftentimes we didn’t feel like former senator Elizabeth Dole did as much of that as she could have.

We hope Hagan will be different.

And we hope Hagan will be open, both to her constituents and to the media. While the freshman senator spent much time on the media circuit during her run for office, even agreeing to be interviewed by this newspaper, the News & Observer reported yesterday that Hagan’s open house was not “open” to the media, not even a local newspaper.

The fledgling senator needs to rethink her approach to the media. While her staffers are saying the media wasn’t invited because the room wasn’t spacious enough, and even though Hagan offered interviews following the event, the snubbing, even of her own hometown newspaper, is not the foot she wants to get started on with those who will be reporting on her every move from here on out.

Hagan also has a unique opportunity to blaze a new trail for Democrats in the state, taking a decades-owned Republican seat and making it her own. She has the opportunity to shine as a junior senator and, at the same time, make wise decisions that will show her full support of the things that will be beneficial to the state she represents.

That means, of course, being true to herself, not selling out and not supporting issues merely for the sake of a unity that is more perceived than real.

Oftentimes government leaders fall prey to the still-water syndrome. In other words, they don’t want to stir the water; they don’t want to appear out of step with their colleagues or, more likely, they don’t want to upset the status quo.

But the status quo is intended to be upset if progress is to be made, voters are to be heard and wise decisions made.

It isn’t always popular to upset it, but we firmly believe voters, even when they don’t agree with decisions made, can respect them if they believe a person stood by their convictions.

But voting for or against something simply because one’s colleagues did is a poor excuse for leadership.

Hagan needs to combat the still-water syndrome by sticking to her beliefs, fighting for what is right and standing for both no matter how unpopular those decisions might be among her colleagues.

We believe she will. She has already proven her mettle, shown us a glimpse of her spirit and proven she’s up for any fight. It could be the beginning of a great six years in Washington for her and for North Carolina.