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Who is running for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District seat?

Posted on by angelo
Who is running for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District seat?

Incumbent Republican Derrick Van Orden will face challenger Democrat Rebecca Cooke in the Nov. 5 general election for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District.

The 3rd Congressional District covers most of the western edge of the state plus a portion of central Wisconsin and consists of all or part of 18 of the state’s 72 counties including Portage, Wood, Adams and Juneau counties.

Representatives to the US Congress serve two-year terms. Van Orden has served one term in the seat since 2023.

To learn more about registering to vote and to find your polling place, visit the My Vote Wisconsin website.

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin asked each of the candidates to address important issues in the district and why they are running for the position.

Rebecca Cooke

Residence: Clear water

Age: 36

Occupation and education: Small business owner and nonprofit leader; bachelor of arts degree from the University of St. Thomas.

Relevant experience: I was appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. I know the economic and social challenges facing the small towns and rural communities for which I’ve fiercely advocated for, from the kitchen table to the board room. I ran a small business in my community’s downtown for seven years − Red’s Mercantile − and through that, founded the Red Letter Grant, which awards start-up capital to women on the same path of entrepreneurship.

Campaign website/Facebook page: https://cookeforwisconsin.com and Cooke for Congress on Facebook

Derrick Van Orden

Residence: Prairie of the Dog

Age: 54

Occupation and education: Member of Congress; bachelor’s degree from Excelsior University

Relevant experience: US Navy, 1988-2014; actor; business owner

Campaign website: www.vanordenforcongress.com

Why are you running for office?

Cooke: Growing up, it was a struggle to make ends meet, a reality for so many Wisconsin farm families. But we always showed up for neighbors in need. Those core values ​​of serving others and building community have guided my life, from my family’s kitchen table to the boardroom. Our rural communities are tired of Washington turning its back on us, and I’m ready to get to work because we need representation with the lived experience and drive to get results for our region.

From the Order: I served my country as a Navy SEAL for 26 years and after my retirement, I felt compelled to serve the country differently. My wife, Sara Jane, and I have 11 grandchildren and I have dedicated my life to public service because I want them and every man, woman and child in our great nation to live in a free, safe and strong America. That means having an economy that is strong and lifts up hard-working Americans, a country that is safe by supporting our law enforcement officers and service members, and constitutional rights that are upheld.

What makes you the best candidate in this race?

Cooke: It’s my lived experiences that set me apart and will allow me to be an effective advocate for everyone who lives in western Wisconsin. I grew up on a dairy farm, showing cattle throughout this congressional district, and like a lot of Wisconsin farmers, my family had to sell our cows. That was almost 20 years ago and the reality is that working families are still hurting – from our dairy farmers to small business owners to factory workers. I am the only working-class person in this race – running a small business, waiting at night, all while running for Congress. We don’t need more career politicians representing us, but everyday folks stepping off the sidelines to be a relentless fighter for our way of life.

From the Order: I spent my entire adult life serving Americans in combat worldwide and now in Congress. My record of putting the mission before myself – in the military and Congress – speaks for itself. My opponent is a political operative and fundraiser. My opponent refuses to tell the truth about her background, but I will never lie about who I am and my accomplishments. We need more honesty in DC My opponent is a hyper-partisan individual who will say or do anything for personal political power. You’ll always know where I stand because I put my constituents first – regardless of their politics or mine.

What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin, and how would you address it?

Cooke: In our region, multiple hospitals have closed in recent months, making health care access a huge issue facing families. Health care is a human right. We can’t wait for a sweeping bill when people are struggling to have check-ups covered and to pay for monthly prescriptions. As a small business owner who relies on the exchange for my health care coverage, I know firsthand the limitations of our current system. So, we need to defend and improve the Affordable Care Act, expand Medicare coverage to include dental, vision and hearing, and take on Big Pharma to ensure that seniors can get the drugs they need at prices they can afford. What’s more, extremist politicians in DC, including my opponent, are trying to ban abortion nationally. In Congress, I will fiercely protect women’s reproductive freedoms, keep politicians out of personal medical decisions, and strengthen access to rural health care.

From the Order: Immigration for several reasons. First, we’ve seen the economic hardships illegal immigration has placed on local municipalities. Just blocks from my home, an illegal, transnational gang member from Venezuela with a criminal record, sexually assaulted a mother and daughter. My opponent ignores these horrible crimes. We’ve seen our communities ravaged by Chinese fentanyl and other illegal drugs that have made their way to southwestern Wisconsin via the southern border. While my opponent will maintain the open borders agenda that let 10 million illegal aliens into our country, I’ll fight to build the wall, close our border, and fix our immigration system once and for all.

What are residents telling you are their most important issues, and how would you address them?

Cooke: The number one issue I hear about from voters is the cost of living and pocketbook issues. Everyday people are struggling to pay for everyday goods like groceries, housing, medications and child care. I understand what the people of this district need because I live it as a working-class person. We need representatives who aren’t going to line their pockets with corporate special interest money, but take on corporations that are price gouging consumers. We need to expand access to housing that working families can actually afford, incentivize child care local startups and fight for living wages that don’t strangle our local businesses.

From the Order: The 3 G’s. Gas, groceries and grandkids. Americans are having difficulty filling up the first two on the same day and are deeply concerned for the security of their children and rightfully so, as illustrated by the previous question.

Residents of central Wisconsin are seeing increasing costs in necessary and everyday expenses such as housing, child care, groceries, health care and transportation. If elected, what will you do to help residents who are struggling to make ends meet?

Cooke: The tipped minimum wage in Wisconsin is just $2.33 an hour. I waitress three nights a week while running for Congress seven days a week. I know the challenges working-class folks are facing firsthand as I work two to three jobs to make ends meet. That’s why in Congress, I will work to increase the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour, and as One Fair Wage across industries. When it comes to federal projects in my District, I support Davis-Bacon that ensures workers aren’t paid less than the local prevailing wage. I’ll work to hold big corporations accountable for their runaway prices, cut taxes for the middle class instead of for corporations and make housing more affordable.

From the Order: As the first member of the Wisconsin delegation to be on the Agriculture committee in over a decade, I volunteered to be on the SNAP subcommittee because I was raised in rural poverty by a single mom. No child should go to bed hungry like I did because our government can’t run a budget. We need to exercise fiscal discipline in Washington and create conditions for Americans to thrive, not just survive. We do that by reenergizing the American energy sector, curbing out-of-control spending and removing waste, fraud and abuse while maintaining programs that help Americans most in need. These can exist in the same universe.

As costs have increased for individuals, so have the costs for our local units of government. Our local schools and technical colleges, municipalities and counties are limited in how much local tax levies can be raised. These limits were set decades ago and adjustments to them are rare and inadequate for matching increases in cost of living and inflation. If elected, what would you do in Congress to reduce the burden on local residents who have to consider levy limit referendums for school districts, public safety workers or large transportation projects so frequently in elections?

Cooke: I believe that one of the fundamental responsibilities of a member of Congress is to listen to local residents and elected officials on the ground and deliver federal dollars for important projects that meet community needs. These types of investments − whether in our rural broadband, roads and bridges, or PFAS cleanup − will improve lives and pay off for years to come. In Congress, I will work to secure the resources to solve problems facing our rural communities − a drastic change from Derrick Van Orden, who has failed to get results for us.

From the Order: One of the biggest complaints I get from local businesses, and agencies is the burdensome number of regulations created in Washington, DC, that simply do not make sense. The other common theme is the onerous amount of unfunded federal mandates put in place by DC without any thought as to how they will affect local governments. When I’m reelected, I’ll work to end the madness that’s driving up our costs. We’ll lower costs from inflationary policies, and I will continue to bring your dollars back to western Wisconsin to benefit you and your families.

Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK – Wisconsin and values ​​his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at [email protected].