U.S. House · Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District

Western Wisconsin, including Eau Claire and La Crosse.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 22 claims re-checked against their sources

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

On the ballot · 4 candidates

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUEDerrick Van Orden
R
Rebecca Cooke
D
Alexander Valiensi Kent
IND
Rustin Provance
IND
Expand immigration enforcement and deportationsSupports[4][5][6][7][8]votes———
Loosen zoning rules to build more housing—Supports[3]——
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsOpposes[5][6][7]votes———
Expand public health coverageMixed[5][6][7][9]votes · says otherwiseSupports[3]——
Faster transition away from fossil fuelsOpposes[5][6][7]votes———
Raise the minimum wage—Supports[3]——
Broad tariffs on imported goodsSupports[10]votes———

The candidates, in full

Derrick Van Orden

RINCUMBENTU.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District (since 2023)

Advanced from the Republican primary unopposed.

Derrick Van Orden is the Republican incumbent representing Wisconsin's 3rd District since 2023. A retired Navy SEAL and former small-business owner, he serves on the Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs, and Armed Services committees.[2]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Key votes in Congress

  • NoWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • NoResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • YesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • YesBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • NoWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • YesContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • YesRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • YesOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • YesSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • YesFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • YesLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.
  • YesSecure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · H.R. 2 · Passed 219–213 · 2023-05-11 roll call ↗Would have resumed border-wall construction, restricted asylum eligibility, expanded detention, and mandated E-Verify for employers.

On the record — official actions

  • actionServes on the House Committee on Agriculture (Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture; Vice Chair of Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry), chairs the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and serves on the House Committee on Armed Services (Intelligence and Special Operations; Strategic Forces) in the 119th Congress.[2]

Positions on the issues

  • MixedExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[5][6][7][9]

    What they say: (their stated position — opposes — differs from their votes) Campaign site says he supports fully repealing the Affordable Care Act and implementing a new system allowing for competition in healthcare, while protecting people with preexisting conditions; also says he secured $1 billion annually for BadgerCare and increased federal ambulance funding for the district.[2]

  • SupportsExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted yes on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11).[4][5][6][7][8]

  • OpposesFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[5][6][7]

  • OpposesRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[5][6][7]

  • SupportsBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[10]

In their words — priorities

  • Says he is committed to ensuring western Wisconsin has access to safe drinking water, well-maintained roads and bridges, and reliable rural broadband, citing funding he secured to address PFAS contamination.[2]
  • Champions the Working Family Tax Cuts legislation, which he says ensures more of workers' earnings remain in their pockets.[2]
  • Says he will work to protect individuals with preexisting conditions once Obamacare is repealed and a new system implemented allowing for competition in healthcare.[2]

Background

  • Born in Hennepin County, Minnesota; earned a bachelor's degree from Excelsior University.[2]
  • Served in the U.S. Navy from 1988 to 2014, retiring as a Navy SEAL Senior Chief.[2]
  • Owned The Butternut Cafe before entering Congress.[2]

Campaign money

Raised $7.5M · spent $3.4M · $4.7M cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗

Rebecca Cooke

DSmall business owner

Defeated Emily Berge 60.0%-39.9% in the Democratic primary.

Rebecca Cooke is a small-business owner from Eau Claire, raised on a dairy farm, running as the Democratic nominee for Wisconsin's 3rd District. She has run for this seat in prior cycles and completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.[3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsExpand public health coverage

    Campaign site says she would expand Medicare to cover vision, dental and hearing, lower the Medicare eligibility age annually, increase Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural hospitals, and provide more tax credits to lower ACA exchange premiums.[3]

  • SupportsRaise the minimum wage

    Campaign site says she supports increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour with a rolling implementation plan starting with large corporations.[3]

  • SupportsLoosen zoning rules to build more housing

    Campaign site says she supports expanding federal community block grants for affordable housing and tax credits for organizations building low- and mixed-income housing in the district.[3]

In their words — priorities

  • Says her top messages are tackling the affordability crisis with better wages and lower taxes for working families, making healthcare more affordable and accessible, and ending what she calls a culture of corruption in Washington.[3]
  • Says she wants to help families buy their first home by deferring property tax payments for first-time buyers for up to five years.[3]

Background

  • Born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; grew up on a dairy farm (Prairie Belle Holsteins) and showed cattle at county fairs through 4-H.[3]
  • Earned a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas; career experience includes small-business ownership and working as a waitress.[3]

Campaign money

Raised $8.6M · spent $6.8M · $1.8M cash on hand (through 2026-07-22) FEC filing ↗

Alexander Valiensi Kent

IND

Alexander Valiensi Kent is an independent candidate on the general-election ballot for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.[1]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Rustin Provance

IND

Rustin Provance is an independent candidate on the general-election ballot for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.[1]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Sources · 10

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Derrick Van Orden · Ballotpedia Reference
  3. 3.Rebecca Cooke · Ballotpedia Reference
  4. 4.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  5. 5.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  6. 6.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  7. 7.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  8. 8.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  9. 9.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  10. 10.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record