Rebecca Cooke Added to DCCC’s Coveted ‘Red to Blue’ Program

Cooke will flip WI-03 and help take back the House majority

Today, the DCCC announced that Rebecca Cooke has been added to the committee's highly competitive 'Red to Blue' program, signaling that the DCCC is invested in providing Cooke, a top-tier candidate, with the support needed to continue building a winning campaign as she runs for Wisconsin's Third Congressional District.

"Western Wisconsinites can trust Rebecca Cooke to deliver for them because that's what she's done her whole life - from opening a small business in Eau Claire, to helping other women in her community become entrepreneurs, to working with Governor Evers to create jobs in Wisconsin," said DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene. "Voters are fed up with Derrick Van Orden's extremism and public outbursts, and they're more ready than ever for Rebecca's dedicated, balanced leadership."

Born and raised in Eau Claire, Rebecca Cooke grew up helping out on her family's dairy farm and understands the challenges that middle class families are facing. That's why Rebecca dedicated her life to building up her community and ensuring West-Central Wisconsinites can thrive. After opening a small retail business in Eau Claire, Rebecca started a nonprofit to help women open small businesses and was appointed to Governor Evers' Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, where she worked with Democrats and Republicans to create economic opportunities for Wisconsinites.

Given his shameful reputation for bullying children, attacking reproductive freedom, and participating in the Stop the Steal rally that led to the January 6 insurrection, Derrick Van Orden is uniquely vulnerable in November. Recent DCCC analytics polling shows he's underperforming a generic Republican by five points and virtually tied with a generic Democrat, driven largely by his weakness with the independent voters he needs to win.

Several statewide Democrats, including Governor Evers last cycle, have won this district in recent years. And the last time Senator Baldwin was on the ballot in 2018, every major Democratic candidate carried the district, from Attorney General to Treasurer.

With a clear choice between Van Orden's temper tantrums and Rebecca's record of public service, voters will reject Van Orden in November and send Rebecca to Congress.

Red to Blue is a highly competitive and battle-tested DCCC program that arms top-tier candidates with organizational and fundraising support to help them continue building winning campaigns. Additionally, through Red to Blue the DCCC provides strategic guidance, staff resources, candidate trainings, and more.