U.S. House, Wisconsin 3rd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District?
Derrick Van Orden has the strongest record in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District. Derrick Van Orden scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Derrick Van Orden's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Rebecca Cooke (7 of 15 criteria), Alexander Kent (6 of 15 criteria) and Rustin Provance (4 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Rebecca Cooke
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Independent
Alexander Kent
On the ballot as Alexander Valiensi Kent
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Derrick Van Orden
59 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 50
Independent
Rustin Provance
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Rebecca Cooke
- On the record2026-08
Took a filing extension that delayed her 2026 personal financial disclosure until after the Aug. 11 primary; the House Clerk index shows it filed Aug. 13, 2026.
Sources: OpenSecrets, Aug. 5, 2026, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076143
- On the record2026-09
Declined three debate invitations from groups her campaign called too partisan, then agreed to an Oct. 20, 2026 forum with Van Orden hosted by WEAU and the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce.
Sources: Spectrum News 1, Sept. 29, 2026, Milwaukee Courier (WRCO), Oct. 6, 2026
- Credit2021
Owned Red's Mercantile in Eau Claire, ran a nonprofit that helps women start businesses and served on the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board.
Source: Urban Milwaukee, Oct. 14, 2021
Alexander Kent
- Credit2026-07-28
Took part in a Wisconsin Farmers Union candidate forum in Eau Claire.
Source: WEAU, July 28, 2026
Derrick Van Orden
- Mark against2023-07-26
Yelled and cursed at high school-age Senate pages in the Capitol Rotunda; Senate leaders Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell rebuked him, and he declined to apologize.
Sources: The Guardian (Associated Press), July 28, 2023, NPR, July 29, 2023
- Mark against2021-12
Pleaded guilty in December 2021 to charges over a loaded 9 mm handgun found in his carry-on bag at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa airport; he paid two fines and took a firearms safety course.
- On the record2026-09-30
Posted AI-generated videos depicting Rebecca Cooke on his X account; Cooke's attorneys sent him a cease-and-desist letter alleging defamation.
Source: WPR, Oct. 1, 2026
- On the record2024-04-04
PolitiFact Wisconsin rated False his March 30, 2024 post saying President Biden chose Easter Sunday for Transgender Day of Visibility; it has rated three of his statements False since 2021.
Sources: PolitiFact, April 4, 2024, PolitiFact, Derrick Van Orden
- On the record2021-01-06
Was in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021 for the rally that preceded the Capitol riot; he said he did not enter the Capitol grounds and left when unlawful activity started.
Sources: WPR, June 29, 2021, The Guardian (Associated Press), July 28, 2023
- On the record2021-06-17
Before taking office, confronted staff at the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library over an LGBTQ+ Pride Month book display in the children's section.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch, July 7, 2023, WKBT News 8000 (Associated Press), Aug. 2021
- Credit2025-2026
Chairs the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
- Credit2025-12-12
His Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserves Tuition Fairness Act (H.R. 983) was signed into law on Dec. 12, 2025.
- Credit2025-07-30
His VA Home Loan Program Reform Act (H.R. 1815) was signed into law on July 30, 2025.
- Credit1988 to 2014
Served 26 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a Navy SEAL senior chief.
Source: Ballotpedia, Derrick Van Orden
Rustin Provance
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Rebecca Cooke. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026. Her 2026 candidate financial disclosure was filed Aug. 13, 2026 under an extension. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076143, FEC administrative fines search
Alexander Kent. Filed a House candidate financial disclosure on May 6, 2026; his committee is registered with the FEC. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076808, FEC candidate page
Derrick Van Orden. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed June 12, 2026 after a filing extension; no periodic transaction reports on the Clerk index. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077672, House Committee on Ethics site search for Van Orden, FEC administrative fines search
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Voted against the April 2024 Ukraine supplemental and the April 2024 surveillance reauthorization (RISAA), both backed by GOP leaders, and voted for the December 2025 Protect America's Workforce Act when Majority Leader Scalise voted no.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 151, April 20, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 119, April 12, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 332, 2025
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Rebecca Cooke. Agreed to the Oct. 20, 2026 forum with Derrick Van Orden in Eau Claire. Declined three debate invitations from groups her campaign called too partisan.
Sources: Milwaukee Courier (WRCO), Oct. 6, 2026, Spectrum News 1, Sept. 29, 2026
Alexander Kent. Took part in the Wisconsin Farmers Union candidate forum in Eau Claire on July 28, 2026.
Source: WEAU, July 28, 2026
Derrick Van Orden. Agreed to an Oct. 20, 2026 forum with Rebecca Cooke in Eau Claire hosted by WEAU and the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce; the campaigns say he accepted three other debate invitations Cooke declined.
Sources: Milwaukee Courier (WRCO), Oct. 6, 2026, Spectrum News 1, Sept. 29, 2026
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Pleaded guilty in December 2021, before taking office, to charges over a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag at the Cedar Rapids airport; in July 2023 the Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders rebuked him for cursing at teenage Senate pages.
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Served in the Navy from 1988 to 2014 and in the House since 2023. Took office after the January 2021 electoral count, so has no vote on it, and no official finding of misuse of office was found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Derrick Van Orden, House Committee on Ethics site search for Van Orden
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Rebecca Cooke. Owned Red's Mercantile in Eau Claire, ran a nonprofit that helps women start businesses and served on the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board. Has not held elected office.
Source: Urban Milwaukee, Oct. 14, 2021
Alexander Kent. Works in social work, holds degrees from Viterbo University (2014) and the University of Chicago (2016), and wrote a 2024 book on political theory. Has not held public office.
Derrick Van Orden. In the U.S. House since January 2023, now seeking a third term, after 26 years in the Navy that ended as a SEAL senior chief.
Sources: GovTrack, Derrick Van Orden, Ballotpedia, Derrick Van Orden
Rustin Provance. Works full time as a certified nursing assistant and part time as an HVAC technician. Has not held public office.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Rebecca Cooke. Publishes specific proposals within the powers of Congress, such as a $30 monthly cap on out-of-pocket costs for insulin, inhalers and cancer drugs.
Source: Campaign site, Priorities
Alexander Kent. Published positions center on an online issue-voting system for constituents; positions are stated in general terms.
Source: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Alexander Valiensi Kent
Derrick Van Orden. Chairs the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and is vice chair of an Agriculture subcommittee; publishes issue positions.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Campaign site, Issues
Rustin Provance. Published positions in general terms, including a bill he says he would write requiring health care facilities to provide staff health coverage.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Rebecca Cooke. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and the Wisconsin Watch questionnaire, publishes a priorities page and agreed to the Oct. 20 forum.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rebecca Cooke, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Rebecca Cooke, Campaign site, Priorities
Alexander Kent. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and the Wisconsin Watch questionnaire and took part in a candidate forum (two channels under E8).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Alexander Valiensi Kent, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Alexander Valiensi Kent, WEAU, July 28, 2026
Derrick Van Orden. Offers an email newsletter and telephone town hall sign-ups, answered the Wisconsin Watch 2026 candidate questionnaire and agreed to the Oct. 20 forum. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Derrick Van Orden, Ballotpedia, Derrick Van Orden
Rustin Provance. Answered the Wisconsin Watch 2026 questionnaire and Ballotpedia's 2024 survey; has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Rustin Provance, Ballotpedia, Rustin Provance
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Rebecca Cooke. Born in Eau Claire and raised on a dairy farm there; lives in the Town of Tainter in the district. About 24 percent of itemized individual contributions this cycle came from Wisconsin.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rebecca Cooke, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Rebecca Cooke, FEC contribution totals by state
Alexander Kent. Lives in La Crosse, in the district.
Source: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Alexander Valiensi Kent
Derrick Van Orden. Lives in Ferryville, in the district. About 18 percent of itemized individual contributions this cycle came from Wisconsin.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Derrick Van Orden, FEC contribution totals by state
Rustin Provance. Lives in Pepin, in the district.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Rebecca Cooke. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.817 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.456, meets expectations. Three bills he sponsored were enacted, including H.R. 983, signed Dec. 12, 2025.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 983 (119th Congress)
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Missed 96 of 1,917 roll call votes, 5.008 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Office site offers help with federal agencies and mobile office hours. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.03878 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 138 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Rebecca Cooke. No public record found.
Alexander Kent. No public record found.
Derrick Van Orden. No public record found.
Rustin Provance. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District?
Derrick Van Orden has the strongest record in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District. Derrick Van Orden scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Derrick Van Orden's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Rebecca Cooke (7 of 15 criteria), Alexander Kent (6 of 15 criteria) and Rustin Provance (4 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District in 2026?
Rebecca Cooke (Democratic), Alexander Kent (Independent), Derrick Van Orden (Republican, incumbent), Rustin Provance (Independent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Rebecca Cooke a good candidate for Congress?
Rebecca Cooke has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Alexander Kent a good candidate for Congress?
Alexander Kent has public evidence on 6 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Derrick Van Orden a good candidate for Congress?
Derrick Van Orden scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Rustin Provance a good candidate for Congress?
Rustin Provance has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Wisconsin race scored, and the Wisconsin 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.