Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026
← 2024
|
Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District |
---|
General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: Pending |
Primary: August 11, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 |
How to vote |
Poll times:
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Tilt Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up |
Ballotpedia analysis |
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
See also |
1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th Wisconsin elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 |
All U.S. House districts, including the 3rd Congressional District of Wisconsin, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Incumbent Derrick Van Orden, Laura Benjamin, Emily Berge, Rebecca Cooke, and Rustin Provance are running in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
Derrick Van Orden (R) | ||
![]() | Laura Benjamin (D) | |
![]() | Emily Berge (D) ![]() | |
![]() | Rebecca Cooke (D) | |
![]() | Rustin Provance (Independent) |
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Emily Berge was elected to the Eau Claire City Council in 2018 and elected as City Council President in 2023. A mental health counselor, small business owner, and mom, she understands the challenges facing our communities. Her experience, including her past role as president of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, equips her to address critical issues like housing, healthcare, and water quality. Emily is running to represent Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, bringing both her professional experience and a leadership style grounded in stability and empathy."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Wisconsin
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Collapse all
|
Emily Berge (D)
Emily has seen first hand the impacts of lack of affordable housing, inaccessible healthcare, including mental healthcare, and toxins in our water over her years serving the residents of Eau Claire and advocating for communities of all sizes throughout Wisconsin. The people of Western and Central Wisconsin deserve better. Emily believes that everyone who wants a home should have a home, that your zip code or bank account shouldn't determine one's ability to receive healthcare, and our land, air, and water must be protected, not only for today, but for future generations.
Emily believes civil rights are the foundation of a just and healthy democracy. Every person, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income, or ability, deserves equal protection under the law and full access to opportunity. From voting rights to LGBTQ+ protections, reproductive freedom to disability access, Emily will fight to ensure that no one is left behind or treated as less than. She knows that civil rights are not negotiable—and she will stand up to those who seek to divide, discriminate, or roll back the progress generations have fought to achieve.

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)
However, the current two-year term also has its advantages. It ensures that representatives remain closely accountable to the will of the people and allows for more frequent opportunities for constituents to voice their approval or disapproval of their representative's performance. A shorter term can also make representatives more responsive to the immediate needs and concerns of their districts.
Ultimately, there are trade-offs to consider between the benefits of stability and focused work that a longer term might offer, and the enhanced accountability and responsiveness that comes with a shorter term.
Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)

Emily Berge (D)
I'm also drawn to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where I could advocate for smart, equitable investments in roads, public transit, and broadband—investments that benefit both urban centers and rural communities. In addition, the Financial Services Committee, particularly its Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, would allow me to focus on affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and policies for working families.
Lastly, the Education and the Workforce Committee would provide an avenue to support children and families through early childhood education, workforce development, and family services.
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign finance
Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Derrick Van Orden | Republican Party | $2,384,267 | $1,225,321 | $1,675,752 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Laura Benjamin | Democratic Party | $22,503 | $12,035 | $10,468 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Emily Berge | Democratic Party | $150,878 | $64,119 | $86,758 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Rebecca Cooke | Democratic Party | $1,950,996 | $693,966 | $1,267,169 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Rustin Provance | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[1]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[2][3][4]
Race ratings: Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
9/30/2025 | 9/23/2025 | 9/16/2025 | 9/9/2025 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. |
Ballot access
This section will contain information on ballot access related to this state's elections when it is available.
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
2024
See also: Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024
Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 13 Democratic primary)
Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 13 Republican primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Incumbent Derrick Van Orden defeated Rebecca Cooke in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Derrick Van Orden (R) | 51.3 | 212,064 | |
![]() | Rebecca Cooke (D) ![]() | 48.6 | 200,808 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 309 |
Total votes: 413,181 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Rustin Provance (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Rebecca Cooke defeated Katrina Shankland and Eric Wilson in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Rebecca Cooke ![]() | 50.5 | 42,316 |
![]() | Katrina Shankland ![]() | 41.6 | 34,812 | |
![]() | Eric Wilson ![]() | 7.9 | 6,624 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 24 |
Total votes: 83,776 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tara Johnson (D)
- Aaron Nytes (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Incumbent Derrick Van Orden advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on August 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Derrick Van Orden | 99.6 | 52,533 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 211 |
Total votes: 52,744 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Derrick Van Orden defeated Brad Pfaff in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Derrick Van Orden (R) | 51.8 | 164,743 | |
![]() | Brad Pfaff (D) | 48.1 | 152,977 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 202 |
Total votes: 317,922 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Rustin Provance (L)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Brad Pfaff defeated Rebecca Cooke, Deb McGrath, and Mark A. Neumann in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Brad Pfaff | 38.9 | 24,041 |
![]() | Rebecca Cooke ![]() | 31.1 | 19,221 | |
![]() | Deb McGrath ![]() | 19.1 | 11,770 | |
![]() | Mark A. Neumann ![]() | 10.8 | 6,672 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 25 |
Total votes: 61,729 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Brett Knudsen (D)
- Justin Bradley (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Derrick Van Orden advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Derrick Van Orden | 99.3 | 65,164 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 471 |
Total votes: 65,635 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Denise Hurless (R)
2020
General election
General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Incumbent Ronald James Kind defeated Derrick Van Orden in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Ronald James Kind (D) | 51.3 | 199,870 | |
Derrick Van Orden (R) ![]() | 48.6 | 189,524 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 224 |
Total votes: 389,618 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Incumbent Ronald James Kind defeated Mark A. Neumann in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Ronald James Kind | 80.6 | 53,064 | |
![]() | Mark A. Neumann | 19.4 | 12,765 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 12 |
Total votes: 65,841 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Justin Bonner (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3
Derrick Van Orden defeated Jessi Ebben in the Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on August 11, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Derrick Van Orden ![]() | 65.9 | 36,395 | |
![]() | Jessi Ebben ![]() | 34.1 | 18,835 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 21 |
Total votes: 55,251 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tim Peters (R)
- John Garske (R)
- Kevin Ruscher (R)
- Jonathan Sundblom (R)
- Alex Virijevich (R)
- Brandon Cook (R)
- Shannon Moats (R)
District analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this district's elections when those are available.
See also
Wisconsin | 2026 primaries | 2026 U.S. Congress elections |
---|---|---|
Voting in Wisconsin Wisconsin elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries |
U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018