In her latest ad, 3rd CD Dem Challenger Rebecca Cooke knocks U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, for “taking millions from corporate special interests.”
The 30-second spot is running in the La Crosse and Eau Claire media markets.
The ad begins in a restaurant and introduces Maddie, a waitress who says she has two other jobs.
“On a good night I’ll make like $200 in tips, meanwhile Congress members in D.C. are getting stock tips,” Maddie says.
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That ad goes on to say that Van Orden voted to allow congressional stock trading and is “taking millions from corporate special interests.”
“He’s working for them, not for us,” Maddie says. “They get rich, we’re working three jobs to make ends meet.”
Van Orden voted for the Stop Insider Trading Act this year. The bill bars members of Congress and immediate family members from buying new individual stocks and requires members to provide notice when they sell stock, but allows for trading other securities and does not require members to divest of their current holdings.
Cooke and Van Orden are set for a rematch in November, after the GOP incumbent narrowly beat the Dem challenger in 2024.
