Rebecca Cooke Defeats Democratic Socialist in Wisconsin Primary
Rebecca Cooke won Wisconsin's 3rd District Democratic primary with 57% of the vote and will challenge Rep. Derrick Van Orden in a race rated as a toss-up this November.
A Democratic nonprofit executive has secured her party’s nomination for a second consecutive challenge to a Republican congressman in Wisconsin, setting up what analysts predict will be one of the most competitive House races this November.
Rebecca Cooke defeated Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, according to Hailey Bullis writing in Washington Examiner. The Associated Press called the race for Cooke at 10:21 p.m., with Cooke securing 57% of the vote to Berge’s 43% with 62% of ballots counted.
Cooke, who runs a nonprofit and operates a small business, will now face Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) in what marks her third campaign in the district. She lost to Van Orden in 2024 by less than 3 percentage points after being eliminated in the 2022 primary.
Establishment Prevails Over Socialist Challenge
Berge positioned herself as the progressive alternative to Cooke, attempting to capitalize on anti-establishment sentiment within the Democratic Party. She earned backing from local Democratic Socialists of America chapters and Indivisible organizations.
The strategy failed to gain traction, however, as Cooke assembled a formidable coalition of establishment support. She secured an early endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Blue Dog Democrats.
Financial resources proved decisive in the contest. Cooke raised $8.6 million compared to Berge’s $729,000, giving the establishment-backed candidate a substantial advantage. Her victory continues a recent trend of mainstream Democratic candidates defeating socialist-aligned challengers in primary contests.
Competitive General Election Ahead
Van Orden enters the general election in a precarious position. The Cook Political Report rates his seat as a toss-up, despite President Donald Trump carrying the district by 8 percentage points over former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
The Republican incumbent ran unopposed in his primary and has accumulated approximately $7.5 million in campaign funds, according to financial disclosures.
Van Orden’s campaign has already signaled it will target Cooke’s financial background as a central line of attack. His campaign raised questions about Cooke filing for an extension on her financial disclosures, preventing voters from reviewing her financial history before the primary.
Van Orden spokeswoman Grace Kim challenged Cooke’s public image, stating that last cycle her financial disclosures raised questions about the fake ‘struggling waitress’ image she sold voters. Kim suggested Cooke timed her disclosure extension to avoid scrutiny before election day.
The Cooke campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment on the financial disclosure controversy.
With information from Washington Examiner
