LA CROSSE, Wis. — Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District is arguably one of the most “purple” districts in the state.
It encompasses most of Western and parts of Central Wisconsin.
Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, and his Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke are vying for every possible vote in this competitive race. We caught up with both of them on the campaign trail.
Before Van Orden was elected to lead the district in 2022, moderate Democrat Ron Kind held the seat for nearly 30 years.
Van Orden is a 55-year-old retired Navy SEAL. He has worked as an actor and owned a restaurant in northern Wisconsin with his wife.
He said after nearly one full term in Congress, his background and perspective are needed in our nation’s Capitol.
“I bring all those experiences to Washington, D.C. in a very meaningful way,” Van Orden said. “Because of my previous vocation, I understand that we simply don’t have a lot of time to sit around trading platitudes.”
Cooke, 36, is a small business and nonprofit owner who grew up on a dairy farm in Eau Claire. She also worked on several Democratic campaigns. She was appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to serve on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
She said she knows the economic and social challenges facing the region, which includes many rural farming communities.
“I really think it’s my lived experiences that set me apart,” Cooke said. “I grew up on a dairy farm. I’ve run a small business for a lot of years, and I waitress while I’m running for Congress seven days a week.”
Van Orden said he’s passionate about helping veterans and farmers. He’s a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and said he’s pushing to get a delayed Farm Bill passed.
“Let’s make sure that our veterans are able to get the educational benefits they’ve earned,” Van Orden said. “Let’s make sure that our kids can drink whole milk. Let’s ensure that whole milk is labeled properly. They’re all very low-key things, but for the state of Wisconsin, they’re incredibly important.”
Cooke said her priorities are helping farmers, creating an economy built for working families, investing in clean energy and education, empowering unions, and protecting reproductive health freedoms.
“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue,” she said. “This is a health care issue. And we need people that are really going to put partisanship aside and let families make choices for themselves.”
Van Orden said he’s more experienced and has shown he’s willing to stand up to people he disagrees with in Washington, and fight for what he believes in.
“We owe each other the truth as we understand it so we can get on with getting on with the business of the country," Van Orden said. "And that’s making sure we have a safe, prosperous, and secure United States of America,”
Cooke said a new, fresh voice is needed. She said she will advocate for Wisconsin and work with others of all political viewpoints to accomplish what needs to get done in government.
“I think we need more working-class voices in Congress,” she said. “People that aren’t so far left or so far right, that are willing to work across the aisle and actually get things done.”
Whoever wins the race on Nov. 5 will help decide who controls the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority.