Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026

← 2024
Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2026
Primary: August 11, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Wisconsin
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up 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
Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District 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 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

All U.S. House districts, including the 3rd Congressional District of Wisconsin, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. The primary is August 11, 2026. The filing deadline is June 1, 2026. For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

• Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026 (August 11 Democratic primary)
• Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026 (August 11 Republican primary)

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

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Derrick Van Orden (R)
		Emily Berge (D)
		Rebecca Cooke (D)
	Submit photo	Rodney Rave (D)
		Rustin Provance (Independent)
	Submit photo	Jayte Welch (Independent)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

• Laura Benjamin (D)

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.

Emily Berge

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

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."

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

Emily leads with empathy and stability working to solve real problems for people. We need leaders who won't get swept up in the chaos but will lead with discipline and empathy. Emily's experiences of leading during difficult times, including navigating threats and protests during the pandemic and the arrival of refugees, have honed her ability to handle adversity with grace and steadiness.

---

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.

Rebecca Cooke

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

Tackling the affordability crisis head-on with better wages, more economic opportunities and lower taxes for working families.

---

Making health care more affordable and more accessible.

---

Ending the culture of corruption in Washington.

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.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Emily Berge (D)

Emily leads with empathy and stability working to solve real problems for people. We need leaders who won't get swept up in the chaos but will lead with discipline and empathy. Emily's experiences of leading during difficult times, including navigating threats and protests during the pandemic and the arrival of refugees, have honed her ability to handle adversity with grace and steadiness.

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.

Rebecca Cooke (D)

Tackling the affordability crisis head-on with better wages, more economic opportunities and lower taxes for working families.

Making health care more affordable and more accessible.

Ending the culture of corruption in Washington.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Emily Berge (D)

Emily believes that everyone, no matter their income level, should have access to healthcare and housing. She is also passionate about protecting and expanding civil rights for all regardless of their background, sexual orientation, gender, race, or ethnicity. Emily will work for economic fairness and make sure billionaires and corporations pay their fair share, working people earn fair and livable wages, and big money out of politics.

Rebecca Cooke (D)

The affordability crisis we’re facing is because of decades of inaction from politicians in Washington DC. I am running for Congress to better serve communities across Wisconsin, put people first and provide more opportunities for success, and will be a relentless fighter for our way of life.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Emily Berge (D)

As a current officeholder, I have several qualities that make me successful in serving my constituents. I serve with empathy and stability. I listen to understand not to respond which also serves me well as a mental health counselor. I stick to my values but am also open minded and value learning about different perspectives. I am not afraid of conflict and I believe it is ok to disagree. I have learned a lot from people with differing opinions. I always strive to be respectful but can be firm when needed. I am always caring for people and this is what motivates me to serve my community.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Emily Berge (D)

When I was in Kindergarten, I remember when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded. My Kindergarten teacher sat us all down in a circle on the rug in front of her chair, and she told us how a space shuttle exploded and how there was a teacher on board. I remember her being very sad but calm and explained this horrific thing in a way that made sense to 5 and 6 year olds.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Emily Berge (D)

I started babysitting around age 12 and continued babysitting or nannying (with other jobs) until I had my first professional job post college. Even though the pay was never good (a few bucks an hour when I first started and never making over minimum wage), I have always loved caring for children. It is why I choose my undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Studies and why I decided to go in counseling. Now as I work to create policies to better my community, I always remember what is best for the young ones because they are often the most vulnerable. And I really do believe it does take a village to raise a child.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Emily Berge (D)

The U.S. House of Representatives holds a unique position within our governmental structure, notably serving as a crucial component of the checks and balances designed to prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful. Furthermore, the system of Congressional Districts ensures representation for the diverse and often distinct communities within each state. As someone familiar with Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, I understand how the specific needs and character of one area can differ from others within the same state. Having a representative dedicated to understanding and advocating for these unique local needs is vital to ensuring that all voices are accurately heard at the federal level. The relatively short terms and direct election of representatives also contribute to its unique character, fostering a closer connection between the representatives and their constituents.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Emily Berge (D)

While I acknowledge my bias as a current elected official with 8 years experience, I firmly believe that prior government or political experience is highly beneficial for those seeking to serve in Congress. The ability to navigate the complexities of passing legislation, overseeing budgets, and effectively engaging with constituents is invaluable. This role demands the capacity to make difficult decisions under intense public scrutiny and provide comfort and stability during challenging times. Elected officials often become the focal point for community frustrations, whether stemming from local or global events. My own experiences, including navigating threats and protests during the pandemic and the arrival of refugees, have honed my ability to handle adversity with grace, empathy, and stability. This accumulated experience is not only vital for effective representation but also a key differentiator in this primary race.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Emily Berge (D)

Over the next decade, our nation faces significant challenges, starting with a growing affordability crisis encompassing housing, healthcare, and food, alongside persistent workforce shortages. Protecting our land, water, and air is also paramount for our future. We must also be vigilant in safeguarding human rights, civil rights, and abortion access, ensuring no one faces discrimination based on their background, appearance, whom they love, or where they come from. These challenges are interconnected and require comprehensive solutions. Fundamentally, addressing these issues requires getting money out of politics, as its influence exacerbates each of these challenges.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Emily Berge (D)

I believe there are valid arguments for considering a longer term length for representatives. A longer term could allow representatives to dedicate more focus to the complex work of solving problems rather than being in a perpetual cycle of campaigning for the next election. This could lead to more thoughtful and potentially more effective policymaking.

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.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Emily Berge (D)

As a current elected official, I believe term limits could be a positive step towards ensuring politicians prioritize serving their constituents over constant fundraising for reelection. Furthermore, term limits could help guarantee that those in office are truly fit to serve. I would support term limits if the term was long enough to allow members of Congress to gain the necessary experience to be effective representatives, as I've personally found that experience and learning from seasoned colleagues is invaluable. While there's a path to implementing term limits that balances fresh perspectives with governmental stability, I also believe that issues like gerrymandering and the influence of money in politics pose significant threats that warrant immediate attention, potentially even more so than the absence of term limits.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Emily Berge (D)

As I've traveled throughout the district, the stories shared by young people have been particularly touching and impactful. What strikes me is that these narratives often aren't highlighted in mainstream media. I've spoken with many young individuals who have, with a sense of resignation, given up on the traditional American dream of homeownership, not seeing a realistic path to ever affording their own place. There's also a pervasive insecurity regarding employment, with concerns about companies being hesitant to hire new graduates amidst an unpredictable economy. I've heard from young people dedicating themselves to public service through programs like AmeriCorps to manage student loan debt, and others who faced the sudden elimination of their federal agency positions without warning. These early adulthood years are so formative, laying the groundwork for the rest of one's life, and it's disheartening to hear how current circumstances are creating roadblocks to opportunity, financial security, and simply the ability for young people to build fulfilling lives.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Emily Berge (D)

How many therapists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one...but the light bulb has to want to change.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Emily Berge (D)

Yes, I do believe that compromise is generally desirable for policymaking, a principle I've observed in my own experience as an elected official. Often, achieving the necessary votes to move forward requires finding common ground and meeting in the middle to bring everyone to the table and pass legislation. However, there are certain fundamental issues, such as human rights and civil liberties, where compromise should not be an option. While I recognize the need for pragmatism in policymaking, I will always remain true to my values in every vote and policy decision I make.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

Emily Berge (D)

The House's constitutional authority to originate revenue bills would be a fundamental tool in pursuing my core priorities. I would utilize this power to craft legislation that generates the necessary funding for expanding access to affordable healthcare and mental healthcare services, ensuring these essential programs are adequately supported. Addressing the housing crisis would also be a key focus, with revenue bills funding affordable housing initiatives and community development projects. Furthermore, I would champion a more equitable tax system, ensuring billionaires and large corporations pay their fair share, closing tax loopholes, and implementing policies that reduce income inequality. This approach would not only generate the resources needed to support working families and address economic disparities but also hold the wealthiest Americans accountable, ensuring a fairer tax code for all.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Emily Berge (D)

The U.S. House should use its investigative powers to uphold the rule of law and protect our democracy from abuse, no matter who holds power. When the executive branch begins to act more like a dictatorship, governing by unchecked executive orders, ignoring court rulings, or allowing unelected individuals to gut essential programs without oversight, Congress has a duty to act. That includes investigating credible allegations of corruption, such as bribes or gifts from domestic or foreign entities, and holding accountable those who enable or turn a blind eye to these actions. The House must ensure that no branch, and no individual, is above the law. Oversight should never be used for political theater, but when used responsibly, it’s one of our most critical tools for protecting the integrity of our institutions and the interests of the American people.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Emily Berge (D)

State Senator Jeff Smith, Former State Assembly Representative Dana Wachs; Eau Claire County Chair Nancy Coffey; Eau Claire Area School Board President, Tim Nordin; Eau Claire City Council Vice President Andrew Werthmann, Eau Claire City Council Member Emily Anderson, Eau Claire City Council Member Larry Mboga, Eau Claire City Council Member Jessica Schoen, Eau Claire City Council Member Josh Miller, Eau Claire City Council Member Charlie Johnson, Eau Claire City Council Member Aaron Brewster, Eau Claire City Council Member Nate Otto, Former Eau Claire City Council President Terry Weld, Former Candidate for the 3rd Cd and Veteran Deb McGrath, Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association Executive Director, True Vue,

Rebecca Cooke (D)

I am proud to have earned the trust of everyday people throughout the 3rd District, including working families, small business owners, educators, healthcare workers, and farmers. I am also honored to be endorsed in this cycle by a number of labor unions including: IBEW Wisconsin State Conference, Laborers Intl. Union of America, SMART Union, UFCW Local 1743, IUPAT and IUPAT District Councils 7 and 82. Additionally the House Blue Dogs, New Dems and Emily’s List are backing my candidacy as well as Congressional leaders like Senator Baldwin, Senator Slotkin, Cong. Budzinski, Cong. Davids and Cong. Lee and over 15 other members of Congress.

What committees interest you?

Emily Berge (D)

Given my experience in local government and mental health care, I would be especially interested in serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee, particularly its Health Subcommittee, to address the urgent need for expanded mental health care access, especially in underserved and rural communities.

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:

• Derrick Van Orden
• Rustin Provance

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Derrick Van Orden	Republican Party	$3,416,605	$1,668,982	$2,264,429	As of September 30, 2025
Emily Berge	Democratic Party	$273,834	$196,842	$76,992	As of September 30, 2025
Rebecca Cooke	Democratic Party	$2,904,379	$1,090,194	$1,824,325	As of September 30, 2025
Rodney Rave	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Rustin Provance	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jayte Welch	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." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

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.
• 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.

Race ratings: Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	1/27/2026	1/20/2026	1/13/2026	1/6/2026
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

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Wisconsin in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Wisconsin, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Wisconsin	U.S. House	All candidates	1,000	N/A	6/1/2026	Source

District history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.

• 2024
• 2022
• 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Incumbent Derrick Van Orden (R) defeated Rebecca Cooke (D) 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

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 413,181
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Rebecca Cooke (D) defeated Katrina Shankland (D) and Eric Wilson (D) 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

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 83,776
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Incumbent Derrick Van Orden (R) 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

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 52,744
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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.

General election

General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Derrick Van Orden (R) defeated Brad Pfaff (D) 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

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 317,922
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Brad Pfaff (D) defeated Rebecca Cooke (D), Deb McGrath (D), and Mark A. Neumann (D) 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

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 61,729
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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 Bradley (D)
• Brett Knudsen (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Derrick Van Orden (R) 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

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 65,635
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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)

General election

General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Incumbent Ronald James Kind (D) defeated Derrick Van Orden (R) 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

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 389,618
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Incumbent Ronald James Kind (D) defeated Mark A. Neumann (D) 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

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 65,841
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 3

Derrick Van Orden (R) defeated Jessi Ebben (R) 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

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 55,251
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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

• Brandon Cook (R)
• John Garske (R)
• Shannon Moats (R)
• Tim Peters (R)
• Kevin Ruscher (R)
• Jonathan Sundblom (R)
• Alex Virijevich (R)

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+3. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 3 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Wisconsin's 3rd the 200th most Republican district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
46.0%	53.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Wisconsin, 2024

Wisconsin presidential election results (1900-2024)

• 15 Democratic wins
• 16 Republican wins
• 1 other win

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020	2024
Winning Party	R	R	R	D	R	R	P	R	D	D	D	R	D	R	R	R	D	R	R	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	R

See also: Party control of Wisconsin state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Wisconsin's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Wisconsin
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	1	2	3
Republican	1	6	7
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	8	10

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Wisconsin's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Wisconsin, October 2025

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Tony Evers
Lieutenant Governor	Sara Rodriguez
Secretary of State	Sarah Godlewski
Attorney General	Josh Kaul

State legislature

Wisconsin State Senate

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	15
	Republican Party	18
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		33

Wisconsin State Assembly

Party		As of October 2025
	Democratic Party	45
	Republican Party	54
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		99

Trifecta control

Wisconsin Party Control: 1992-2025
Two years of Democratic trifectas  •  Ten years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	D	R	R	R	D	D	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

See also

Wisconsin	2026 primaries	2026 U.S. Congress elections
Wisconsin congressional delegation Voting in Wisconsin Wisconsin elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds 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. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Wisconsin's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Baldwin (D)

Ronald Johnson (R)

Representatives

District 1

Bryan Steil (R)

District 2

Mark Pocan (D)

District 3

Derrick Van Orden (R)

District 4

Gwen Moore (D)

District 5

Scott Fitzgerald (R)

District 6

Glenn Grothman (R)

District 7

Tom Tiffany (R)

District 8

Tony Wied (R)

Republican Party (7)

Democratic Party (3)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

Senate by State

Alabama • Alaska • Arkansas • Colorado • Delaware • Florida (special) • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Montana • Nebraska • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • North Carolina • Ohio (special) • Oklahoma • Oregon • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Virginia • West Virginia • Wyoming

---

House by State

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

---

Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

---

Super PACs/Organizations

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote!

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams, Managing Editor of Events • Joseph Greaney, Managing Editor of Policy • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox