MADISON – Rebecca Cooke, the front-runner Democrat to challenge Republican Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin’s battleground 3rd Congressional District, frequently portrays herself as an ordinary voter who grew up on a dairy farm and works tables as a waitress.
Republicans, as well as her Democratic primary opponent, call that image-building disingenuous, calling out her recent paid political work for Democratic organizations, most recently a think tank dedicated to center-left ideas.
The scrutiny of Cooke’s background comes against the backdrop of a hot political contest expected to attract national dollars as Democrats seek to flip the district they held until Van Orden took office in 2022.
Cooke came within 2.8 points of knocking off Van Orden in 2024, after she came up short in the Democratic primary in 2022.
Cooke spent about half of 2025 working with Third Way, leading conversations with leaders and workers across the district. Third Way is a center-left think tank and advocacy organization that “champions moderate policy and political ideas,” according to the group’s website. Cooke appears on the website as a fellow.
Cooke was paid about $30,000 for her work by the organization, which consisted mainly of talking to rural working-class voters about issues impacting them. She used the conversations to compile reports for Third Way.
A spokesperson said in a statement that Cooke was asked to compile the conversations and conduct research on economic policies that could help out working families in Wisconsin, an opportunity she took.
“She used that opportunity to stick up for farmers, for affordable health care, and against the tax giveaways for the elitists that Derrick Van Orden votes for,” the spokesperson said.
“During her part-time work for Third Way, Rebecca maintained her waitressing job, taking shifts almost every weekend at $8 an hour plus tips. Like many people in western Wisconsin, she knows what it’s like to wear many hats to pay the bills.”
Third Way says it works to recruit candidates with moderate political views to combat extremism in politics. Cooke has portrayed herself as a center-left candidate in the race.
In an emailed statement, Lily Cohen, the press adviser for the group, acknowledged Cooke had done work for the organization in the past.
“We were proud to partner with her in the first half of 2025 for a series of conversations with farmers, small business owners, labor leaders, and health care providers across Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district,” Cohen said in an emailed statement. “Rebecca’s focus on the challenges facing working Americans and her deep local relationships make her the kind of leader we need — then and now — to hear more from.”
But Republicans said the position is the latest example of how Cooke isn’t a political outsider, instead deeply embedded in politics. Highlighting her upbringing on a dairy farm and the time she has spent waitressing doesn’t tell the whole story, they argue.
“Rebecca Cooke is a lying, paid political operative that is completely out of touch with hardworking Wisconsinites,” Zach Bannon, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. “Voters in western Wisconsin have rejected Commie Cooke’s radical policies and fake waitress act twice before and will reject her once again this fall.”
Grace Kim, spokesperson for Van Orden, said Cooke has been lying to voters about who she is.
“Cooke spent years riding the coattails of the Washington liberal elite and Congressman Derrick Van Orden served 26 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL Senior Chief with five combat tours defending our country,” Kim said in an emailed statement. “DVO doesn’t need to lie about who he is to earn Wisconsin’s trust — Cooke can’t say the same.”
The campaign for Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge, who will face off against Cooke in the August Democratic primary for the district, also accused Cooke of presenting a misleading image to voters.
“The people of Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District deserve a representative who is authentic and committed to serving those who live here,” Nick Padesky, Berge’s campaign manager, said.
“Emily Berge is the only candidate whose entire life has been committed to public service and is beholden solely to the people of western and central Wisconsin, not DC Insiders and the ultra wealthy.”
Cooke’s history of political work
Cooke’s work with Third Way comes after earlier outside political work.
In addition, in the years leading up to her first campaign in 2021, Cooke worked as a professional fundraiser for candidates across the country.
As far back as 2012, Cooke served as finance director for four congressional races in Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado and California, raising $3.7 million in one of those contests alone.
In 2015, she registered Cooke Strategy LLC, a Democratic political and fundraising consulting firm. FEC records show the firm advised eight state and federal campaigns between 2015 and 2021.
Overall, she and her firm were paid more than $190,000 by a dozen committees and campaigns.
In addition, Cooke served on the steering committee for Opportunity Wisconsin, a liberal nonprofit active in congressional races.
The 3rd District is expected to be Wisconsin’s tightest battleground Congressional district this year, and draw in money from the national Democratic and Republican parties.
The district covers a large portion of the state’s Driftless region in the southwestern and western portions of the state. It includes Stevens Point, La Crosse and Eau Claire, as well as some of the Wisconsin areas close to Minnesota’s twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Cooke is facing a primary challenge from Berge on Aug. 11. The winner will advance to face Van Orden in the general election on Nov. 3.
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP, Dem challenger hit Rebecca Cooke for outside political work
Reporting by Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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