Rebecca Cooke says she understands why people doubt either political party will look out for them. Asked how she would earn those voters' trust, she pointed to her work outside politics.
"I think that I'm one of them," Cooke said. "I think my lived experiences are what uniquely prepare me to represent us in Congress."
Those experiences include growing up on a dairy farm near Eau Claire, owning a downtown shop and working in restaurants.
"I've been a waitress on and off my whole life since I was 16. I'm waitressing while I'm running for Congress, despite everything you're hearing in attack ads, that's who I am, my authentic background," Cooke said.
Cooke, the Democratic challenger to Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, visited Monroe County Oct. 21. The candidates will face each other on November 3rd.
Her visit came a day after the candidates met at a forum in Eau Claire. Democratic state Rep. Jill Billings and state Sen. Brad Pfaff also attended the Monroe County event.
In an interview before addressing supporters, Cooke identified affordability and access to health care as central concerns for county residents.
"Monroe is a rural county, so making sure that people have access to health care here, I think that's going to be really important for folks," she said.
She pointed to farmers' operating costs, including diesel and fertilizer, and the effects of tariffs on agricultural markets. Her broader concern, she said, is how much families have left after paying for necessities.
"I'm running for Congress because I want to improve people's lives, full stop," Cooke said. "I think we've got to try to make things easier for people and create some stability."
Cooke grew up on an Eau Claire dairy farm and helped pay for college through Pell Grants, work-study jobs, and earnings from restaurant work. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas and worked for Democratic campaigns before returning to Eau Claire.
In 2015, she opened Red's Mercantile, selling American-made goods and products from independent makers. The shop closed following the pandemic. She also founded Red Letter Grant, a nonprofit that helps women start and grow businesses in northwestern Wisconsin and served on the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board after Gov. Tony Evers appointed her.
Farming
At the Oct. 20 forum, hosted by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce and WEAU, Cooke shared her family's farming experience during a discussion about passing farms from one generation to the next.
She said her father inherited the farm from her grandparents and continued farming until low milk prices and competition with larger dairies made it too difficult. She argued that farmers need dependable export markets and time to plan their growing seasons.
Cooke wants a farm bill that gives greater attention to small and midsize operations. She also advocates stronger antitrust enforcement and restrictions on foreign purchases of farmland.
Speaking to supporters in Monroe County, Cooke argued that consolidation in areas like meat processing leaves too much market power with a handful of companies. She called for stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to address that concentration. "You look at agriculture, there are four main meat processors, right? So they control the market and the pricing," she said.
During the Monroe County event, she said dairy farms need workers year-round, and visa policy should reflect that. She also supports a pathway to citizenship for immigrant workers.
In the Herald interview, Cooke said Washington too often overlooks rural communities. "I think that they put rural America last, and I feel like Washington just pushes policies that are good for them and their wealthy donors," she said.
Cooke said she has pledged not to accept contributions from corporate political action committees. She also supports banning stock trading by members of Congress.
"We need people in D.C. that are putting people first," she said.
Health care
Health care was another dividing point at the Eau Claire forum. Van Orden defended his support for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, citing additional Medicaid funding for Wisconsin and a national rural health fund. Cooke argued that the law would put further pressure on patients and rural hospitals.
Speaking to supporters in Monroe County, Cooke said temporary help with insurance premiums would not fix the underlying problems.
"I think we have a broken health care system," she said.
She described extending enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years as "stopping the hemorrhaging."
"But something actually meaningful needs to get done," she said.
Cooke advocated a public insurance option alongside private coverage and expanding Medicare benefits to include dental, vision and hearing care. "If people like their private insurance, they can keep it," she said.
Other Priorities
Cooke drew on her own experiences to explain her positions, including where she disagrees with some Democrats. She credits Pell Grants and work-study jobs with helping her afford college but opposed universal student debt relief because she believes it leaves the underlying cost problem unresolved.
"I think that puts a band-aid on a problem that's going to come back," she said.
On energy, Cooke supported a mix of renewable sources and nuclear power. She called for pausing new data center construction to examine effects on utility customers, the environment, and local communities.
She calls for federal community development block grants to support mixed-income housing and tax credits for first-time homebuyers. She also connected homelessness to gaps in mental health and substance abuse services.
She advocates removing the earnings cap on Social Security payroll contributions so higher earners contribute more, arguing that would help preserve the program.
Looking forward
An audience member at the Monroe County event asked how she could turn priorities into law and how much she could accomplish with Trump holding veto power.
Cooke acknowledged she would enter the House as a freshman. She said she would build influence and coalitions while running an office with staff available to help residents navigate federal programs.
"I want to run a constituent-centered office that actually gets things done and work to build power over time," she said.
During her speech, Cooke said Democrats would need to deliver tangible relief. "We have to show people that when they vote for a Democrat, they can feel it in their bones, and they can feel it in their pocketbooks that their lives improve."
She promised in-person town halls and encouraged residents to hold her accountable for her votes.
Cooke said voters should judge her on whether she follows through once the campaign ends. "I think that what people will find with me and with my candidacy is that I'm going to make good on the things that I promised on the campaign trail," she said. "I'm not going to go back on those things when I'm elected."
Cooke said representing the district would mean working beyond her own party.
"I don't want to be somebody that just carries water for my own party," she said. "I want to be the person who gets things done for us."
"We have to give people some relief."
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