EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) — Eau Claire businesswoman Rebecca Cooke is running for Congress in an open southwestern Wisconsin district, hoping to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Ron Kind. Cooke is a member of the state’s economic development agency board, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. She would be the first woman to represent the 3rd Congressional District should she win. Cooke joins state Sen. Brad Pfaff, of Onalaska, and political newcomer Brett Knudsen on the Democratic side, setting up an Aug. 9 primary. Republican Derrick Van Orden, who was defeated by Kind in 2020, is running again and has support from Republican House leadership.
