In Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden is aligning himself closely with President Donald Trump, a strategy he views as a matter of loyalty in the upcoming midterm elections. Van Orden, a two-term congressman and former Navy SEAL, is running for re-election in a district that Trump has won three times, but which has also shown a history of supporting moderate politicians.

The district, a V-shaped area bordering the Mississippi River and Illinois, has a complex political history. It was represented for 26 years by Democrat Ron Kind before his retirement in 2022, and before that, by a moderate Republican for 16 years. Barack Obama carried the district twice, while Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016 and 2024, losing the state in 2020. U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has described the district as a "bellwether district in a bellwether state."

Van Orden faces Democrat Rebecca Cooke, a political activist and part-time restaurant server, in a rematch of the 2022 race, which Van Orden won by less than 3 percentage points. The district is considered one of the few competitive U.S. House races that could influence control of Congress. During a Labor Day parade in the small village of Readstown, both candidates made appearances.

Cooke expressed belief that voters are "looking for something fresh and something different" and are "very tired of politics as usual." Nancy Deckert, a retired postal worker, echoed this sentiment, stating, "I think a lot of people are fed up with the mess we’re in right now and a change is what we need."

Van Orden, who attended a Trump midterm convention, told The Associated Press, "There’s something that’s sorely lacking in this political business and it’s loyalty." He added, "I think we’d be a lot better off if we were more loyal to our fellow Americans to begin with.” John Collett, owner of Shovelheads Corner Bar and an "ultra MAGA" supporter, said he is voting for Van Orden because "He’s fighting for the American people. He’s fighting for what’s right."

Van Orden's voting record shows he voted with Trump nearly 100% of the time in 2025. Trump has endorsed Van Orden, and top administration officials, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kash Patel, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, have campaigned with him in the district. Elon Musk's America PAC has also contributed financially to Van Orden's campaign.

Cooke, however, has criticized Van Orden's close ties to Trump, citing an August Marquette University Law School poll indicating that only about 40% of Wisconsin voters approve of Trump's performance. Van Orden, who underperformed Trump in the district in 2024, remains confident in his base. He stated, "Cooke knows that she needs to have people who voted for Trump vote for her, and that just ain’t happening."

Van Orden has also drawn attention for his aggressive social media presence, including the use of AI-generated videos that depicted Cooke saying things she did not say, which he defended as satire. He also attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally prior to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. He has described his confrontational approach as a response to death threats against him and his family, asserting, "When you push back on these folks they stop and when you let them go they get emboldened. I’m not getting pushed around by anybody."

Cooke, who previously ran a nonprofit and pitched herself as a populist Democrat, has received endorsements from various Democratic groups, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the House Blue Dog PAC, as well as progressive Senator Bernie Sanders. Van Orden's campaign has targeted Cooke for her past political affiliations and statements.

Van Orden's campaign ads have featured him holding a firearm and a Bible, stating, "I fought extremists overseas as a Navy SEAL, but now they are here." Dean Young, a retired teacher and milk truck driver, commented on the charged political climate, saying, "People are getting angry. They’re finally starting to suffer. I think that’s going to lead to some change.”