WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Wisconsinite said her chance encounter on Capitol Hill with a lawmaker from an opposing party has left her hopeful that more Americans with different political beliefs can find common ground with each other.

What You Need To Know

  • Beth Cannestra, a Madison native, is grateful Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, gave her a private tour of the Capitol

  • Cannestra, a long-time Democrat, is encouraged by the interaction considering the two disagree on politics

  • “I think it gave me hope for our country moving forward,” Cannestra said

Madison native Beth Cannestra said she arrived in Washington, D.C. a day early to do a little sightseeing ahead of a planned conference.

“I had gone down to the Library of Congress and I wanted to see the Capitol,” Cannestra said. “I walked over and realized it wasn’t open. So, I was just kind of wandering around the building and taking pictures.”

That’s when her visit took an unexpected turn. She said a guy pulled up next to her on a motorcycle and offered to snap a few photos of her in front of the campus.

“It’s true Wisconsin nice, you know?” Cannestra said. “He hops off, and he’s like, ‘Hey, I’m Derrick from Wisconsin,’ and I go, ‘I’m Wisconsin, too,’ and we introduced ourselves.”

“Derrick from Wisconsin” happened to be Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a freshman Republican lawmaker who just arrived in Washington himself to represent the state’s third congressional district. Now a VIP at the Capitol, Van Orden offered Cannestra a private look inside.

“He brought out his little pin [that read] the 118th Congress, walked up to the guards, and we went on the best tour I ever could have gone on,” she said. “We’re not in the same party but I tell you, you know, I think just talking with him, and experiencing that time with him, I think it gave me hope for our country moving forward.”

He tweeted about the interaction on Monday, writing in the post, “Went for a ride yesterday to the office and ran into Beth, a fellow Cheesehead from [Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison] district, wound up being able to give her a private tour of the capital.” A long-time Democrat, Cannestra admitted that she and the state’s newest member of Congress do not see eye-to-eye on much.

“I’d say that maybe Derrick and I are really on the far extremes,” she said. “But if you find that common ground, like we’re both from Wisconsin, and you get to know each other, you talk with each other, you develop a level of respect.”

Cannestra said she also respects the congressman’s commitment to public service. With more than 30 years of work for Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation under her belt, she appreciates his willingness to help another Wisconsinite.

“I think we both have those roots of wanting to do the best for the people that we work for,” she said. “And I think we both see a responsibility in working for the public. And so, I’m hoping he does good things.”