EAU CLAIRE, Wisc. – Today, a new poll shows small business owner Rebecca Cooke with a commanding 43-point lead in the Wisconsin Third Congressional District Democratic Primary. Cooke leads the three-way field at 65 percent of the vote, with the remaining candidates garnering 22 and 1 percent. The poll shows Cooke with at least 85 percent name ID in every media market and strong favorability ratings throughout the district.
“It is imperative that we defeat Derrick Van Orden in November and Rebecca is the best candidate for the job,” said Alex Obolensky, Cooke Campaign Senior Advisor. “Now is the time for Democrats across west central Wisconsin to come together and unite behind Rebecca’s vision for lower costs and better health care for working families.”
The Cooke campaign raised $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and began 2026 with more than $2.5 million cash on hand. In February, Cooke was named to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s 2026 “Red to Blue” Program highlighting candidates most likely to flip a Republican-held seat. Rebecca outperformed the Harris-Walz ticket by more than 9,000 votes in the November 2024 election.
Rebecca is also endorsed by Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, 16 Members of Congress, State Senator Brad Pfaff, 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, League of Conservation Voters, American Association for Justice (AAJ), 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. View the full list of endorsers here.
