MADISON, Wis. — Republicans won six congressional races in Wisconsin in Tuesday's election, turning back Democratic challenges in a western Wisconsin swing district and in an open seat in a heavily GOP corner of the state.
In the most hotly contested race, Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden won reelection in western Wisconsin over Democratic challenger and political activist Rebecca Cooke. A political newcomer and former gas station chain owner, Tony Wied, won an open seat in the Green Bay area, defeating a doctor who tried to make the race about abortion rights.
Here's a look at the three most-watched congressional races in Wisconsin:
Republican denies Democratic hope for flip in western Wisconsin
Van Orden won reelection to a second term in western Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, which had been represented by a Democrat for 26 years before it flipped in 2022.
Van Orden is a former Navy SEAL who was at the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and remains one of President-elect Donald Trump's loudest backers in Wisconsin.
He was a top target for Democrats. Cooke, a former small business owner who worked as a waitress during the campaign, won a three-person primary to take on Van Orden. She has raised more money than any other Democratic challenger in the state, a sign of Democratic optimism for the race.
With the Mississippi River and Minnesota to the west, the district includes the rolling hills of the Driftless Area and Chippewa Falls. From Illinois, it stretches 250 miles (400 kilometers) north past Prairie du Chien, known for its Cabela's outdoor gear distribution center and 19th-century riverside historic sites.
