Rebecca Cooke defeats socialist-backed challenger to secure Democratic nod against Van Orden

In Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, nonprofit leader Rebecca Cooke secured the Democratic nomination by defeating Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge, winning 57% of the counted ballots. Berge ran to Cooke’s left, earning endorsements from local chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America and Indivisible, but could not overcome Cooke’s early endorsement from Senator Bernie Sanders and financial backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Blue Dogs, raising $8.6 million compared with Berge’s $729,000.

The primary victory positions Cooke for a high-stakes general election against Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, whose seat is listed as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report after Donald Trump carried it by eight points in 2024. Van Orden’s spokesperson Grace Kim has criticized Cooke’s timing of financial disclosures, suggesting voters have not seen her records. Cooke, who previously ran twice in the district and lost narrowly in 2024, now seeks to unseat the vulnerable incumbent.