Progressive Champion Rebecca Cooke Wins Wisconsin Primary, Faces MAGA Incumbent Van Orden in Rematch
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Rebecca Cooke, a small-business owner and advocate for working people, has secured the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin’s 3rd District. She is set to challenge far-right Republican Derrick Van Orden in November, as the Midwest and South see critical House races that will determine the future of democracy and social justice.
Rebecca Cooke, a small-business owner from western Wisconsin who grew up on a dairy farm, has triumphed in the Democratic primary for the state’s 3rd Congressional District, according to NBC News projections. Cooke, who has consistently championed the interests of ordinary people over corporate elites, will once again face two-term Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the November general election. Despite the district’s rightward tilt—Donald Trump carried it by seven points—Cooke came within just three percentage points of victory in 2024, demonstrating the growing strength of progressive values even in traditionally conservative areas.
Cooke’s campaign has been a model of broad-based support, uniting the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, moderate groups like New Dems and Blue Dogs, and progressive icons such as Senator Bernie Sanders. "I am a Blue Dog and a New Dem, but I’m also very progressive where it counts," Cooke declared last year, rejecting the divisive partisan labels that the right uses to sow discord. Her commitment to real change stands in stark contrast to the reactionary politics of her opponent.
The Van Orden campaign, desperate to cling to power, has attacked Cooke for her principled stances, including her support for commonsense gun reform and for progressive candidates nationwide. Their attempts to smear her as an extremist only reveal their own alignment with the most dangerous elements of the Republican Party, which continues to push policies that endanger communities and undermine democracy.
On the fundraising front, Cooke’s grassroots movement has raised about $8.6 million this cycle, outpacing Van Orden’s $7.5 million. The massive influx of Super PAC money—$9 million reserved for TV ads—shows that both parties recognize the stakes in this fight for the soul of the district.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin, former VA nurse Mitchell Berman won the Democratic primary in the 1st District, taking on Trump-endorsed Republican Bryan Steil, who is seeking a fifth term despite his record of siding with corporate interests. Berman’s campaign, powered by small donors, has raised about $713,000, compared to Steil’s $5.5 million, highlighting the uphill battle progressives face against entrenched money.
Across the Midwest, in Minnesota’s 1st District, high-school teacher Jake Johnson secured the Democratic nomination to challenge GOP Rep. Brad Finstad, while in the state’s open 2nd District, State Sen. Matt Little will face Republican State Sen. Eric Pratt. These races are crucial for building a Congress that represents working people, not the wealthy few.
In the South, Republicans are aggressively targeting Alabama’s newly redrawn 2nd District, hoping to disenfranchise voters with a court-ordered map that favors their interests. Trump-backed State Rep. Rhett Marques will try to unseat Democrat Shomari Figures, whose district has been cynically manipulated to benefit the GOP. The outcome will have major implications for civil rights and the future of fair representation.