Rebecca Cooke, a former waitress, small-business owner, and nonprofit founder raised on a dairy farm near Eau Claire, won the Democratic primary for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. She defeated former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge, securing her place on the ballot for a rematch against incumbent Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden this fall.

This will be Cooke’s third attempt to win the western Wisconsin seat. In the 2024 general election, Van Orden defeated Cooke by roughly 11,000 votes, capturing 51.4% of the vote to her 48.6%. The 3rd district, located in a swing state, has leaned Republican in recent presidential elections. However, Cooke’s narrow loss and substantial fundraising efforts have made this race one of the most closely watched contests as Democrats aim to regain control of the House in November.

Cooke has also operated a small retail business and served on the board of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation after being appointed by a Democratic governor. The race remains a top Democratic pickup opportunity in the upcoming midterm elections.

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