WASHINGTON — Wisconsin’s newest member of Congress is hoping to turn the page after a heated election, but at least one Democrat said he is skeptical of his calls for unity.

What You Need To Know

  • Rep-elect Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien is the first Republican to represent Wisconsin’s third congressional district in 25 years

  • Van Orden said he hopes to join the House of Representatives’ Problem Solvers Caucus, an equally divided bipartisan group that works together on policy issues

  • The freshman Republican congressman said he has reached out to Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison

  • Rep. Pocan said he is unconvinced by Van Orden’s talks of bipartisanship

While most new members walked to the House chambers on the first day of the 118th session, Congressman-elect Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, arrived in Washington astride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

“You may notice some differences between your granddaddies’ Republican Party and this one,” Van Orden told Spectrum News. “We got blue collars and tattoos… we ride motorcycles, we cheese curds, we farm, we're teachers, we are tradesmen and women. The Republican Party of 2023 is the Republican Party of the average American.”

It’s the same tune Van Orden sang when he entered the race last year. He flipped the seat that was held by Ron Kind, D- La Crosse, who decided not to run for re-election. Van Orden won with 52% of the vote, vowing to give a voice to rural Wisconsin in Congress.

“I represent an Ag district and it's really important that we have someone from the state of Wisconsin, which is the Dairy State for Pete's sake, on the Agriculture committee,” he said. “Like, to me, it's a no brainer.” 

The district includes Eau Claire and other parts of Western Wisconsin. Van Orden’s first day on Capitol Hill marks the first time in 25 years a Republican will represent the district.

“I'm taking ownership of the third congressional district in the state of Wisconsin, including 48% of people that didn't vote for me. It's really important to do that,” he said. “We have to get past this rabid partisan stuff where we're throwing fruit at each other.”

The freshman lawmaker is now extending a hand across the aisle. He said he is planning on joining the House of Representatives' Problem Solvers Caucus. It is an equally divided bipartisan group that works together on policy issues. Reps. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, and Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, are current also members.

"I think it's incredibly important that we start approaching these problem sets of governing in a bipartisan manner," he said. "I'm willing to work with anybody on four conditions: what they're proposing is legally, ethically and morally correct and they're willing to put the, the state of Wisconsin and the United States of America above their own personal, political or financial agenda."

He said he has also written to Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, hoping to wipe the slate clean. Pocan, who campaigned heavily for Van Orden’s opponent Brad Pfaff, isn’t convinced, however, pointing to Van Orden’s attendance at the "Stop the Steal" rally outside the Capitol two years ago.

“I'm looking forward to when he issues his apology for participating in the insurrection,” Rep. Pocan told Spectrum News. “I don't think you can both be an insurrectionist and a member of Congress. It's the complete opposite really: someone trying to overthrow the government and someone trying to actually govern. So I'm hoping that he'll do that, and there's many opportunities then to try to work together.”

Van Orden said he’s also hoping to connect with Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee.

“If they're not going to reach out to me, I'll reach out to them,” he said. “I will always put my hand out first, but you gotta understand that's a steel fist wrapped in a velvet glove.”

He’s also not backing down on some of the hot-button issues many Republicans ran on, including the situation at the southern border and a promise to cut funding to the IRS. He said those priorities are on the top of his to-do list in Washington.