Rebecca Cooke announces run for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WSAW) - Rebecca Cooke announced Tuesday she will make another run for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District.

In a press release, Cooke says after her strong performance in the November election, she plans to challenge Congressman Derrick Van Orden in 2026. “I’m running for Congress because Wisconsin families deserve a fair shot and a seat at the table,” Cooke said. “While Derrick Van Orden cowers and hides from the people of western Wisconsin, big drug companies are jacking up our medicine prices, out-of-touch elites are blocking pathways to homeownership and good jobs, and chaos continues to dominate Washington. It’s clear we need more working-class voices in Congress who have lived failed policy and will actually fight like hell to rebuild the middle class.”

Cooke is a waitress, small business owner, and non-profit leader from Eau Claire.

The 3rd Congressional District covers a large portion of western Wisconsin and also includes parts of Portage, Wood, and Adams counties. Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden currently holds the seat there after defeating Cooke in the November 2024 election.