Full Breakdown
Rebecca Cooke Secures Democratic Nomination in Wisconsin’s 3rd District, Setting Up Rematch with Rep. Derrick Van Orden
8/12/2026, 11:38:50 AM
Primary Victory and Immediate Implications
Rebecca Cooke, a former waitress, small-business owner and nonprofit founder, won the Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District on August 11. Decision Desk called the race for Cooke at 8:35 p.m. CST, with 57 % of the vote to Emily Berge’s 43 %. The win positions Cooke for a general-election face-off against incumbent Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
Background: Prior Campaigns and District Profile
Cooke’s third bid follows a 2022 loss in the Democratic primary to State Sen. Brad Pfaff and a narrow 2024 general-election defeat to Van Orden by roughly 2.7 percentage points. The district, spanning Eau Claire, La Crosse, Stevens Point and the Driftless region, has voted for President Obama but swung to President Trump in the last three presidential cycles.
Campaign Finance and Vote Margins
- Cooke has raised $8.6 million as of July 22, outpacing Van Orden’s campaign by just over $1 million.
- Berge raised less than $730,000.
- In 2024, Cooke received 48.6 % of the general-election vote; Van Orden received 51.3 % (Fox News lists 51.4 %).
- Cooke outperformed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris by roughly 9,000 votes and Senator Tammy Baldwin by about 5,000 votes in the 2024 cycle.
Official Statements & Campaign Positions
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Cooke to its “Red to Blue” program in February, providing staff, training and fundraising assistance. Van Orden’s campaign has pressed Cooke to release a financial disclosure, noting income from political consulting and rental properties.
On-the-Ground Reporting
At an election-night gathering in Eau Claire, Cooke emphasized her rural outreach, saying, “We did that, I think, by really working to show up in rural communities and working-class spaces to talk to people about the issues and things that we knew were really keeping people up at night.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Van Orden’s 2024 vote share: Fox News reports 51.4 % while other outlets list 51.3 %. Both agree Cooke received 48.6 %. No source provides a final certified tally, leaving a minor discrepancy in the exact margin.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We did that, I think, by really working to show up in rural communities and working-class spaces to talk to people about the issues and things that we knew were really keeping people up at night,” — Rebecca Cooke
- “This was always going to be an uphill battle for Berge because she's fighting to raise enough money to run a credible campaign, and relatedly, she's battling to increase her political brand and her profile,” — Anthony Chergosky, political science professor
What’s Next
- Van Orden has challenged Cooke to a debate.
- Cooke’s financial disclosure deadline follows the primary.
- The Cook Political Report continues to rate the race a “toss-up.”
- Both campaigns are expected to intensify outreach as the countdown to the general election proceeds.
