Cooke Builds Cash Edge On Van Orden As Democrats Target GOP House Majority
Eau Claire Democrat ends quarter with more money in the bank in state’s most expensive House race this cycle.
Eau Claire Democrat Rebecca Cooke speaks to reporters at the campaign event in La Crosse on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. Hope Kirwan/WPR
For the second consecutive time, Democrat Rebecca Cooke has outraised Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in western Wisconsin’s highly contested 3rd Congressional District race.
The 3rd District race has seen more spending than any other U.S. House race in the state this cycle as national Democrats work to flip Republicans’ slim U.S. House majority and stymie President Donald Trump’s agenda in the final two years of his second term. Republicans have responded in kind with an eye on defending their majority.
Between Jan. 1 and March 31, Cooke, a Democrat from Eau Claire, raised around $2.4 million and spent around $551,000, according to her latest federal campaign finance report. During the same period, Van Orden reported raising around $1.3 million and spent about $255,000. Cooke ended the reporting period with around $4.4 million in the bank. Van Orden ended with around $3.8 million.
Cooke previously edged out Van Orden on fundraising during the final three months of 2025.
Despite getting help from the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Cooke still faces a Democratic primary challenge from Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge. Berge’s latest finance report shows she raised nearly $177,000 during the first three months of 2026 and spent just under $150,000 on her campaign. The primary is Aug. 4.
Van Orden has gotten help from fellow Republican congressional campaigns and Vice President JD Vance, who campaigned for him during a February rally in Plover.
Trump-endorsed Republican leads fundraising in crowded 7th District race
While Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District isn’t considered as competitive as the 3rd, it’s attracted a large field of Democrats and Republicans hoping to win the seat being vacated by GOP U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany as he runs for governor.
Republican Michael Alfonso, the son-in-law of U.S. Transportation Secretary and former 7th District Rep. Sean Duffy, has been endorsed by Trump and is receiving help from a political action committee funded, in part, by Duffy’s former congressional campaign. But Trump’s endorsement hasn’t cleared the field.
Finance reports from the 7th District show Alfonso raised around $601,000 during the first three months of the year, spent nearly $149,000 and ended March with around $732,000 in the bank. Alabama-based Northwoods Future PAC spent nearly $629,000 supporting Alfonso’s campaign during the period.
Republican Paul Wassgren reported raising around $1.8 million over the three months, with the help of a $1.7 million personal loan to his campaign. Wassgren reported spending $1.5 million, but $1.2 million of that went toward repaying his personal loans. His campaign ended the period with about $1.7 million in the bank.
The three other Republicans in the 7th District primary raised far less. Jessi Ebben reported raising around $81,000, Kevin Hermening raised around $57,000 and Niina Threlfall-Baum didn’t report raising any money.
Three Democrats are also running for Tiffany’s congressional seat, which has skewed heavily in favor of Republicans since 2011. Former state Rep. Fred Clark reported raising around $112,000 between Jan. 1 and March 31. Fellow Democrat Chris Armstrong reported raising just more than $11,000. Ginger Murray only reported raising around $5,900.
In 1st District, GOP Congressman Bryan Steil vastly outraises Democratic challengers
In early 2025, Democrats listed Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil’s 1st Congressional District seat as a top target in their quest to flip the GOP House majority. But at least when it comes to fundraising, the latest figures show it’s not shaping up to be much of a fight.
Steil reported raising more than $933,000 during the first three months of 2026. He spent around $272,000 and ended the period with around $5.6 million in the bank. The nearest Democrat in the race, Mitchell Berman, raised around $209,000, spent just less than $159,000 and ended the period with around $141,000 in the bank.
Rebecca Cooke again outraises US Rep. Derrick Van Orden in pivotal Wisconsin House race was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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