Metro’s Blue and Orange lines provide direct shots from Virginia to Maryland while other lines can get you from one state to the other with just one transfer. To make the trip by car there are two main options: the American Legion Memorial Bridge which connects Fairfax and Montgomery Counties and the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge which links Alexandria to Prince George’s County.

Despite the relative ease of crossing between the Commonwealth and the Free State the 68.3 square miles that comprises the District of Columbia apparently is apparently an insurmountable cultural buffer at least according to a recent article in the Washington Examiner.

The article highlights areas of divergence between the two states including starkly differing legislative stances on issues such as gay marriage gun control and immigration. While there are significant legislative and governmental differences between Virginia and Maryland most of the arguments made are based on anecdotal evidence trying to demonstrate an intractable cultural divide. If one is talking about the entirety of the two states then perhaps such a divide does exist. Roanoke and Baltimore are undoubtedly very different places in terms of both policy and culture. However when it comes to Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland the portions of the two states that comprise metro Washington do you think such a split is present?