Rebecca Cooke bests DSA-backed challenger for Democratic nomination in Wisconsin House seat

Published August 11, 2026 11:50pm ET



Rebecca Cooke is getting a second chance to unseat Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), after securing the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District.

Cooke, a nonprofit executive and small-business owner, defeated Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge on Tuesday in a close primary race. The Associated Press called the race for Cooke at 10:21 p.m. With 62% of ballots counted, Cooke led with 57% of the vote, compared to Berge’s 43%.

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