MILWAUKEE – Incumbent U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisconsin) will face Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke in the race for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines and breaking news emails from FOX6 News

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.

Who is Derrick Van Orden?

Van Orden joined the U.S. Navy at age 18 and served for 26 years, retiring as a Navy SEAL senior chief with five combat deployments. After retirement, he worked as a consultant in the private sector and left this job to open a cafe with his wife and went to law school.

In 2020, Van Orden competed for the first time Wisconsin‘s 3rd Congressional District. He won the Republican primary but lost the general election to incumbent Democrat Ron Kind. When Kind chose not to seek re-election in 2022, Van Orden ran again and won the 3rd District seat, defeating Democrat Brad Pfaff.

The Van Orden campaign cites education, rebuilding the economy and improving health care as key issues for the incumbent Republican president. Details of Van Orden’s stance on these and other issues can be found here. on the campaign website.

Who is Rebecca Cooke?

Cooke grew up in Eau Claire after his father took over the family’s dairy farm. His campaign notes that the Cooke family has deep roots in the state, dating back to 1856 when they settled in Buffalo County. St. He attended North High School before attending the University of St. Thomas.

After college, Cooke worked to elect Democrats across the country before returning to Eau Claire and opening a small business and founding a nonprofit in 2016. Tony Evers He appointed her to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, where she co-chaired the Entrepreneurship and Innovation committee.

Cooke competed for the first time in 2022 Wisconsin‘s 3rd Congressional District. He lost the Democratic primary to Brad Pfaff, who then lost the general election to Van Orden. He defeated Kartina Shankland and Eric Wilson in this year’s Democratic primary.

The Cooke campaign cites health care, the economy and “protecting democracy” as key issues for the Democratic opponent. Details on Cooke’s stance on this and other issues can be found here. on the campaign website.