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Cooke victory in 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary sets up rematch
WPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Rebecca Cooke won the Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, setting up a rematch against Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden in the November general election.
- Cooke, a former small business owner and fundraising consultant, outperformed her primary opponent Emily Berge across the district, which includes Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Stevens Point.
- This marks Cooke’s third run for the seat; she narrowly lost to Van Orden in 2024 by less than 3 percentage points and has gained support by addressing issues like healthcare costs and economic concerns related to tariffs and fuel prices.
- The race is considered a key toss-up that could influence control of the U.S. House, with Democrats’ campaign arm backing Cooke through the “Red to Blue” program, providing significant resources and fundraising support.
- Van Orden criticized Cooke as aligned with national Democrats and socialists, while Cooke’s campaign has outraised Van Orden by over $1 million, and both candidates continue to engage in a contentious campaign leading up to the election.
