Rebecca Cooke, the Democrat running to unseat Republican Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, paints herself as a humble, working-class waitress. In reality, she’s a radical Leftist who opposes ICE, supports gun control, and made thousands for consulting work last year.
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That group that reportedly paid Cooke for her time is also led by a member of the billionaire Pritzker family.
NEW: Despite the fake waitress charade, political operative @RebeccaforWI was paid thousands for consulting work in 2025.
The Democrat group that paid Cooke is led by a member of the liberal billionaire Pritzker family. #WI03 https://t.co/0Et7Ko1sDb
— Zach Bannon (@zach_bannon) April 16, 2026
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.
Much like Spanberger ran as a moderate in Virginia, Cooke is trying to hide her progressive bona fides from Wisconsin voters.
You mean to tell me this is not an authentic campaign?
Never saw that coming. https://t.co/h8BzPYWyWD pic.twitter.com/zYkUMtJo5u
— Jerry Ponio (@JerryPonioWI) April 16, 2026
Totally blindsided. Not.
Back in March, Cooke was confronted about her remarks calling ICE “disgusting” and fled from reporters rather than answer tough questions.
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🚨YIKES: Democrat Rebecca Cooke FLEES THE SCENE when confronted about calling ICE ‘Disgusting!’
“Do you support the deportation of illegal immigrants that r*pe and murder U.S. citizens?”
“Why did you call ICE disgusting?”
“Do you support the abolishment of ICE?”
These… pic.twitter.com/NBPokZGoTc
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 5, 2026
She also reportedly worked for Kirk Bangstad,
Interesting.
Rebecca Cooke is now running against Derrick Van Orden and masquerading as a moderate waitress. Actually, she was a far left political operative who worked for no other than Kirk Bangstad. pic.twitter.com/TM56pNdYZ3
— Wisconsin Right Now (@wisconsin_now) March 15, 2026
Bangstad is the owner of Minocqua Brewing Company, and he’s made the news repeatedly for his Leftist partisan attacks, including threatening to perform a citizen’s arrest of Elon Musk and attacking Charlie Kirk’s funeral as “propaganda.”
She has been pretending to be a down to earth blue collar person for years.
She is a DC insider / fundraiser/ consultant.
This is exactly why she refused to debate Katrina Shankland and me.
She knows that when she is exposed for who she is, voters will abandon her.
— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) March 15, 2026
Voters seem to have Cooke’s number already, as her campaign’s internal polling only has her leading Van Orden by one percentage point.
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Impact Research poll | 2/2-2/17 LV (released 3/26)
US House 2026 | Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district
🟦Rebecca Cooke 49%
🟥Derrick Van Orden 48%(Rebecca Cooke internal)
(Trump +8 | 2024) pic.twitter.com/TKwlFaQ6Py
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) March 26, 2026
That’s not good.
ICYMI: The @journalsentinel covered @RebeccaforWI‘s rich history of raking in cash as a political operative for liberals in 2024.
New election cycle. Same lies. https://t.co/dMa00Y451T pic.twitter.com/bMsiJtHZc1
— Zach Bannon (@zach_bannon) April 16, 2026
Wisconsin voters deserve a Congressman who will represent them and their interests. Not a D.C. insider who lies about her record while pushing radical Left policies.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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