Derrick Van Orden

In the 2024 House race for WI-3, Derrick Van Orden (R) won with 51.3% of the vote, defeating Rebecca Cooke (D) who received 48.6%. A third candidate also appeared on the ballot. The 2.7-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

As the incumbent, Derrick Van Orden benefited from name recognition, established constituent services, and the roughly 2-3 point advantage that sitting members typically enjoy. The 2024 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. Given the narrow margin, this seat is likely to remain competitive and attract heavy investment in the next cycle.

In the 2022 House race for WI-3, Derrick Van Orden (R) won with 51.8% of the vote, defeating Brad Pfaff (D) who received 48.1%. A third candidate also appeared on the ballot. The 3.7-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

This race flipped the seat from Democrat to Republican. Ron Kind (D) held the seat previously but either retired or lost in a primary. Party flips at the seat level are relatively rare and often signal shifting district dynamics. As a Republican, Derrick Van Orden benefited from the historical midterm penalty against the president's party — with a Democrat in the White House, the opposition typically gains seats. This seat will likely stay on party watch lists as potentially competitive in future cycles.

In the 2020 House race for WI-3, Ron Kind (D) won with 51.3% of the vote, defeating Derrick Van Orden (R) who received 48.6%. A third candidate also appeared on the ballot. The 2.7-point margin made this one of the more competitive races of the cycle.

This was an open-seat race. Open seats typically attract stronger candidates and heavier spending from both parties. The 2020 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. Given the narrow margin, this seat is likely to remain competitive and attract heavy investment in the next cycle.