National Democrats just got their pick to take on one of their top targets this fall in a western Wisconsin swing district.
Rebecca Cooke won the Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd District on Tuesday, setting up a high-stakes November rematch with GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden in a crucial pickup opportunity for Democrats.
Cooke is hoping the third time is the charm after two unsuccessful runs for Congress. But she came within 3 percentage points of defeating Van Orden in 2024, even as President Donald Trump won the district by more than 7 percentage points. That strong performance helped persuade the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to make her one of the first candidates they placed on their coveted “Red to Blue” list for this cycle.
A strong fundraiser, she’s also one of the rare Democratic challengers this cycle to pull endorsements from across the party’s deeply divided factions, with a roster that ranges from progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to the centrist Blue Dog PAC.
Cooke fended off a left-flank primary challenge from former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge, who had attempted to harness the anti-establishment anger sweeping the state for a late-stage boost. Her win is a relief for establishment Democrats who’ve seen their November playbook scrambled by upsets in key House battlegrounds by progressives and insurgents.
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