The snow storm that struck the northeastern United States this week caused much devastation, but it also brought together two politicians in a move that’s fit to inspire an Aaron Sorkin political dramedy.
The two Texas congressmen seated on opposite sides of the aisle shared a road trip of around 1,600 miles to the nation’s capital. They listened to music, chatted with their families and invited Americans to discuss politics with them over Facebook Live along the way. There were also multiple donut pitstops, a visit to Graceland and at least one instance of playing air drums to Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers.
Reps. Beto O’Rourke (D) and Will Hurd (R) were both in San Antonio speaking with veterans when the storm struck and their flights back to Washington, D.C. were canceled.
They needed to be back in D.C. by Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. for floor votes. So O’Rourke suggested he and Hurd drive back to the nation’s capitol.
They rented a car and nicknamed the trip a “bi-coastal town hall,” from Gulf Coast to East Coast, the Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday.
Reports have surfaced that O’Rourke may challenge Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in the 2018 senate election. Hurd, who was critical of Donald Trump during the 2016 election, has made headlines this year for opposing the president’s plan to build a wall, and his executive order on immigration.
During their trip, the duo answered pressing questions about issues including health care, education, the environment, national security and immigration ― their differences clear but professional. They also requested song recommendations, rated their favorite donut flavors, and pondered who would play them in the movie version of their trip.
The Washington Post stitched together several of the congressmen’s live videos to produce quite the mashup, featured above, depicting the nearly 36-hour journey in a few heartwarming minutes.
The pair alternated streaming live on each other’s Facebook pages, and took calls from family members and colleagues. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich even called in to participate.
When members of Congress called, Hurd and O’Rourke asked each person to name someone with whom they’d want to “bipartisan road trip,” the Dallas Morning News reported.
By the time the duo made it to D.C., a Texas flag greeted the pair as they drove up to the U.S. Capitol building.
They made it to their vote on time, and their newfound camaraderie on display for all to see.
Before You Go
