Two teenage daughters of prominent U.S. politicians have collaborated on a children’s book promoting bipartisanship, inspired by their fathers' cross-party friendship. Ellie Gottheimer and Larra Mullin, daughters of Representative Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Markwayne Mullin, the Republican former senator from Oklahoma now serving as Homeland Security secretary, co-wrote “Shmoo & Ozzie Go to Washington” to convey the importance of finding common ground despite political differences.
The story centers on two dogs, Shmoo and Ozzie, who, after moving to Washington due to their fathers’ election to the fictional Dog Congress, initially struggle to connect. The dogs—modeled after family pets—ultimately join forces to save their favorite dog park from closure by convincing representatives from both sides of the aisle to restore funding. The narrative is intended to highlight cooperation and dialogue in an often divided political environment.
The idea arose from the girls’ observations of their fathers’ relationship amidst a polarized national climate. “Being young, we all saw what was happening on social media, a bunch of left versus right, and we wanted to show that we see our dads working together,” Larra Mullin said. The two, both entering their senior year of high school, have known each other for about a decade, despite coming from different political backgrounds.
Their fathers met after Josh Gottheimer was elected to Congress in 2017, while Markwayne Mullin had been serving in the House since 2013 and later became a senator in 2023. The friendship grew out of a bipartisan workout group organized by Mullin at the House gym, where members of both parties exercise together. “You forge relationships sometimes,” Mullin said. “Because we work out hard. My goal is to smoke you at the end of it.”
Ellie described their fathers as “literally working together side by side every day to solve the problem,” contrasting with the often adversarial nature of politics. However, differences remain significant: Mullin, a Trump supporter, oversees a department criticized by Democrats, particularly regarding contentious immigration enforcement policies. Meanwhile, Gottheimer has faced political challenges in his blue-leaning New Jersey district, finishing fourth in the recent gubernatorial primary but securing reelection to Congress.
The girls’ initiative aims to promote a message of cooperation to younger generations before they become influenced by social media’s polarizing effects. Ellie founded an imprint, Voice of Tomorrow Press, to support young writers advocating unity and hope. With illustrations by Kiran Akram, proceeds from the book will benefit Project Night Night, a charity supporting homeless children.
Despite political differences between their fathers, the teenagers emphasize their shared goal to encourage civility. When asked about politically sensitive topics, Mullin declined comment, highlighting the friendly nature of the conversation. “I’m not going to talk about the differences in that because this is a friendly relationship,” Mullin said, while Gottheimer joked, “We’re here talking about our dogs.”
Ellie expressed interest in pursuing a career in politics, whereas Larra plans to focus on religious mission work. Both hope their book will inspire others to work across divides. “We wanted to do something that would get the message across in a very nonpolitical way, and that’s why we focused on dogs,” Larra said. “Because we think everyone loves dogs.”