EAU CLAIRE, Wisc. – A new poll shows Rebecca Cooke leading Rep. Derrick Van Orden 50-46 (+4) in the highly competitive race that could decide control of the House of Representatives.
This latest poll shows Rebecca growing her lead by three points from February. She continues to be popular among voters overall, with a 38-35 favorable rating (+3). Meanwhile, Van Orden’s unpopularity has grown, with him now double digits underwater at 40-51 (-11), and -17 with Independents. Cooke in part leads because she wins more Republicans (7%) than Van Orden does Democrats (0%), and leads among Independents by 3 points.
Over the past several months, Rebecca’s populist campaigning has earned her the support of over 50 local elected officials, including multiple Republicans. Her 19 County District Tour continues to meet voters up close and taps into key industries with visits to cranberry bogs, factories, dairy farms and more.
“Our campaign continues to gain momentum because voters understand who we are fighting for — the small business owners keeping our main streets alive yet competing against corporations who don’t play by the same rules, the farmers who are feeding the world despite being squeezed at every turn from tariffs to diesel prices, and the working families who power our communities, but struggle to access or afford healthcare,” said Rebecca Cooke. “That’s who this campaign is for, and that’s who I’ll fight for every single day in Congress.”
“Rebecca is uniting voters from every corner of Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District — educators, healthcare workers, Seniors, farmers, and small business owners, all eager for new representation for West Central Wisconsin,” said George Lundgren, Cooke for Congress Campaign Manager. “As administration officials visit the district this week, voters will be reminded that Derrick Van Orden has rubber-stamped the reckless Iran War that has driven up costs for everything from gas to groceries, cut healthcare to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy while endangering rural health care for our families, and he’s celebrated tariffs that are hammering farmers and rural America. Voters are ready to send Rep. Van Orden packing this November.”
Rebecca raised over $2.4 million in the first quarter of 2026 and entered the spring with a $600k cash on hand advantage over Rep. Van Orden, with $4.4 million and $3.8 million, respectively. Rebecca was named in the first round to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s 2026 “Red to Blue” program, highlighting candidates most capable of flipping a Republican-held seat. In her previous run against Van Orden, Rebecca outperformed the Harris-Walz ticket by more than 9,000 votes and even outperformed Senator Tammy Baldwin by 5,000 votes.
Rebecca is endorsed by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, Pete Buttigieg, 16 Members of Congress, State Senator Brad Pfaff, Iron Workers Locals 383 and 512, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Wisconsin State Council of Machinists, AFSCME, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Councils 7 & 82, Office and Professional Employees International Union, Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART) Union, UFCW Local 1473, Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council, IBEW State Conference, NRDC Action Fund, League of Conservation Voters, American Association for Justice (AAJ), Defend the Vote PAC, End Citizens United, the Blue Dog Coalition, the New Dem Action Fund, Elect Democratic Women, EMILY’s List, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare PAC. She’s garnered the support of a broad coalition of farmers, small business owners, educators and healthcare workers across western Wisconsin.
