Election Day for the general election arrives Tuesday, Nov. 3, with in-person absentee voting taking place Oct. 20 to Nov. 1. Mailed absentee ballots are due Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.
With that said, …
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Election Day for the general election arrives Tuesday, Nov. 3, with in-person absentee voting taking place Oct. 20 to Nov. 1. Mailed absentee ballots are due Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.
With that said, it’s time for candidate questionnaires. Starting out this week with federal races, the race to watch for Pierce County is U.S. House District 3.
Also on the ballot this November are state races for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, state assembly and senate races, various local races and three ballot questions, covered in future articles.
As for House District 3, facing off on the ballot this November are Rebecca Cooke (Democrat), Derrick Van Orden (Republican), and two independent write-ins, Alexander Kent and Rustin Provance.
Starting with Van Orden, the current seat incumbent is a 57-year-old former Navy SEAL and was born Sept. 15, 1969 in Hennepin County, Minn. He holds a B.S. from Excelsior University in Albany, N.Y. A small business and restaurant owner who served in the U.S. Navy from 1988 to 2014, Van Orden shared more in a questionnaire.
Name: Derrick Van Orden
Age: 57
Seat/office sought: Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District (WI-03)
Background/education:
What is your basic philosophy for governing/representation? I'm willing to work with anyone, regardless of party, who is willing to put Wisconsin families first. I spent 26 years as a Navy SEAL. When you're on the battlefield, the person standing next to you isn't a Republican or a Democrat, they're your teammate. That's how I've approached serving in Congress, and my record shows it. If it helps the people of western Wisconsin, I'll work with anyone to get it done.
What is the most important issue to you and why? How would you address it? The most important issue to me is protecting American freedom. Freedom is what allowed me to overcome where I started and build a life I never thought possible. It’s what I raised my hand to defend for 26 years as a Navy SEAL, and it’s what I continue fighting for today.
Wisconsinites are people who believe in doing things the right way. We work hard, we take care of our families, and we look out for our neighbors. We don’t ask for someone else to build our future, we want the freedom and opportunity to build it ourselves. That’s the promise of America, and that’s what I am fighting to protect.
Why vote for you rather than your opponent(s)? I know where a lot of folks in Wisconsin are coming from because I come from a similar place. I was raised by a single mom in abject rural poverty. I know the conversations that happen around kitchen tables all across this district—how do we pay the bills, how do we keep our families secure, and how do we give our kids a better shot than we had?
Those lessons stayed with me through 26 years of service as a Navy SEAL and continue to guide me today. I believe we all have a responsibility to leave our communities and our country better than we found them. That’s what I want for my kids, and that’s what I want for every family in America.
Campaign Social Media:
As for Cooke, she is 38 years old, a small business owner, and holds a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. Cooke shared more in a questionnaire.
Name: Rebecca Cooke
Age: 38
Seat/office sought: Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District
Background/education: Small business owner, nonprofit founder, and waitress. B.A. from University of St Thomas.
What is your basic philosophy for governing/representation? Government should deliver for working people – Congress needs more working-class voices at the table who have lived through failed policies and will fight like hell to improve our quality of life. As a small business owner, a nonprofit leader, and waitress, I know the challenges facing our small towns and rural communities from the kitchen table to the board room. I don't come at this from the far left or the far right. I'm a pragmatist who puts people first and gets things done, building real relationships across the aisle to increase access to affordable, quality healthcare, and lower costs across the board for Wisconsinites.
What is the most important issue to you and why? How would you address it? People across west central Wisconsin are working hard, but too many families are falling behind because of rising costs from healthcare to gas to the price of groceries. In Congress, I would support measures to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs, expand affordable housing options, and increase access to quality childcare so families can afford to live and work in the communities they love. We can make a difference right away by cracking down on corporate price gouging and enforcing antitrust laws when large corporations abuse their market power and drive up costs for consumers, farmers, and small businesses.
Why vote for you rather than your opponent(s)? We need more people in Congress with working class backgrounds who have experienced failed policies and are going to lead from those lived experiences to deliver results for our communities. My opponent, Derrick Van Orden, has failed to represent the district in a way that reflects our values – choosing to place extreme partisan politics over people. I understand what working class Wisconsinites need and I am tired of us lacking true representation in D.C. I’m running 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.
Campaign Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookeforcongress
X: https://x.com/RebeccaforWI
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cooke-for-Congress
Independent candidates
Not happy with any of the major party’s candidates? Ballotpedia lists two more candidates for Wisconsin’s 3rd District, running as write-ins. Asking consideration in District 3 without party affiliation are Alexander Valiensi Kent and Rustin Provance.
Starting with Provance, he is a 45-year-old graduate of Dakota County Technical College with an HAVC-R degree. Receiving his license as a Certified Nursing Assistant from Southeast Technical College, Provance shared more in a questionnaire.
Name: Rustin Provance
Age: 45
Seat/office sought: United Stated House of Representatives Wisconsin 3rd District
Background/Education? Dakota County Technical College where I received my HAVC-R degree. Southeast Technical College where I received my Certified Nursing Assistant License.
What is your basic philosophy for governing/representation? We have an oath to take. That oath is to uphold The United States Constitution. Keeping the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights as my guidance and giving the public a full explanation for every vote.
What is the most important issue to you and why? How would you address it? Bringing back the gold standard and physically attaching it to our currency. Try my hardest to end the Federal Reserve.
Why vote for you rather than your opponent(s)? I have debt, I have school loans. I can't afford health insurance. I have five kids. Not only do I see the struggles of the people around me, I live them too. I work in the medical field and see the struggles of staff and residents we care for when old age sets in. The two-party organizations wants to play politics and political games. I just want to get to work and try my shot at one term. No party influence, just someone who really does care on whether things do get better or not. One, because it directly affects me. What about my kids and other families that are going through more. Everyone is living paycheck to paycheck. Including me. Our politicians are fighting for a raise.
Campaign Social Media: facebook.com/61590917901907/
Also running as an independent write-in is Alexander Kent, a 35-year-old with a background in social work and philosophy who holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Viterbo University as well as a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Chicago. A proponent of what he calls “voter directed democracy,” Kent shared more in a questionnaire.
Name: Alexander Kent
Age: 35
Seat/office sought: Representative in U.S. Congress from Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District
Background/education: My background is in Social Work and philosophy. I have a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree from Viterbo University (2014) and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Chicago (2016). I authored the book "Voter Directed Democracy" and founded the technology startup Voter Directed Network to support this idea of Online Political Evolution. I believe it is time to bring our republic online so all voters can vote on all issues honestly and transparently. The OPE will modernize and evolve our republic, greatly reduce political corruption, and empower voters to use the power of the Internet to collectively determine the real Will of the People on every issue.
What is your basic philosophy for governing/representation? Our campaign has three pillars: 1. Full Voter Empowerment. This means online issue-by-issue voting and "one voter, one vote on all issues." 2. End political corruption. Time to get all money out of elections and political decision-making. This means no donors, lobbyists, Super PACs, or political powers, which all corrupt our political system with money. Importantly, none of these mechanisms of corruption are in the U.S. Constitution. 3. Servant Leadership. This is the leadership philosophy I believe in, which is consistently proven to be the best and is grounded in values of prioritizing human rights, relentless listening, and compassion.
What is the most important issue to you and why? How would you address it? The authoritarianism, corruption, divisiveness, and violence of the party controlled political system has been our biggest problem for decades. The political decisions supported by both parties, which go against the compassionate and positive Will of the People have caused immense human suffering for the majority of voters and our children. The solution is political evolution. Independent, online political evolution that puts real Yes/No political power where it always should be- equally distributed in the hands of all voters on all issues.
Why are you for this seat/office rather than your opponent(s)? No one else is actually trying to change the system that got us here. Full voter empowerment, anti-corruption, political freedom, political evolution, and Servant Leadership. Large scale change is needed. For decades the majority of voters in the U.S. have struggled and suffered due to the divide, conquer, and control party driven political system. Our idea for political evolution is 100% consistent with the U.S. Constitution. We don't need any bill, order, decision, or amendment at any level to implement this evolution. Voters just have to choose it.
Campaign Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/alexander.valiensi.kent/
