Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Katrina Shankland lost to local business owner Rebecca Cook in Tuesday’s primary election., He is gearing up for a campaign to unseat Republican Rep. Derrick Van Alden in November.
Van Alden, formerly Navy SEALsVan Alden narrowly defeated Democratic state Sen. Brad Pfaff last year to reclaim the seat for Republicans after longtime Democratic incumbent Ron Kind opted not to seek reelection. Pfaff decided not to challenge Van Alden in 2024.
Before Van Alden won his seat in 2022, Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District was represented by Kind for more than two decades.
The Democratic race eventually turned into an ugly contest between Cook and Shankland, with the Wisconsin Examiner reporting that in the final days of the campaign, “the race intensified, with outside super PACs pouring money into Cook’s favor and Shankland alleging fraud and touting his legislative experience.”
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“This is a dramatic change in tone from the 2022 primary, and there could be a few reasons for that,” Anthony Chergoski, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, told the Examiner. “One reason is that Democrats are certainly excited about the possibility of beating Derrick Van Orden, meaning the opportunity to become the party’s standard-bearer is highly coveted, which is why Shankland and Cook are reluctant.”
