2026 House race
Wisconsin 3rd District
Toss Up Cook Political Report, as of October 16, 2026
Campaigns through 2026-09-30Outside money through 2026-10-18Source: FEC
The short version
- Rebecca Cooke has raised $12.0M to Derrick Van Orden's $8.8M (1.4x), through September 30, 2026.
- Outside groups have reported $12.4M in general election spending: $9.0M helping the Democrat and $3.4M helping the Republican.
- Largest outside spender: HMP, $4.2M opposing Derrick Van Orden.
Campaign money
Rebecca Cooke
- Raised
- $12.0M
- Spent
- $11.1M
- Cash on hand
- $901K
- From PACs
- $748K
- From individuals
- $10.3M
- Self funding
- $0
- Outside money for (general)
- $9.0M
Campaign totals through September 30, 2026.
Derrick Van Orden
- Raised
- $8.8M
- Spent
- $7.2M
- Cash on hand
- $2.1M
- From PACs
- $1.2M
- From individuals
- $5.1M
- Self funding
- $0
- Outside money for (general)
- $3.4M
Campaign totals through September 30, 2026.
Outside spending
Not included above: $182K in outside spending that filers reported for the primary, a runoff, or no specific election, involving these two nominees.
Biggest outside spenders, general election
| Spender | Position | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HMP | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $4.2M |
| LCV Victory Fund | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $1.7M |
| Safety & Affordability PAC Inc. | Oppose Rebecca Cooke | $1.6M |
| Edf Action Votes | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $747K |
| American Majority Action PAC | Support Derrick Van Orden | $521K |
| Tomorrow Together | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $369K |
| Edw Action Fund | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $300K |
| America PAC | Oppose Rebecca Cooke | $293K |
| America First Agriculture Action Inc. | Support Derrick Van Orden | $285K |
| Progressive Turnout Project | Support Rebecca Cooke | $255K |
| One for All Committee | Support Rebecca Cooke | $250K |
| American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees P E O P L E | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $243K |
| In Union USA | Oppose Derrick Van Orden | $203K |
| America PAC | Support Derrick Van Orden | $195K |
| LCV Victory Fund | Support Rebecca Cooke | $187K |
Where the outside money came from
For the biggest spenders, the money is followed upstream while a single donor supplied at least half of it. From FEC receipts.
- LCV Victory Fund ← $18.0M from League of Conservation Voters, Inc. (58% of its reported receipts) No donor disclosure
- Edf Action Votes ← $10.7M from Environmental Defense Action Fund (75% of its reported receipts) No donor disclosure
- American Majority Action PAC ← $10.9M from Restoration of America PAC (100% of its reported receipts) ← whose largest donor is Richard E. Uihlein, $66.7M
- Tomorrow Together ← $100K from Tomorrow Together Action Fund (100% of its reported receipts) No donor disclosure
- America PAC ← $82.8M from Elon Musk (59% of its reported receipts)
These totals come from the 24 and 48 hour notices outside groups must file before ads run. They are the disclosed floor. Spending by groups that do not file independent expenditure notices, such as issue ads paid for by 501(c)(4) groups, does not appear here.
Top PAC donors to each campaign
D Rebecca Cooke
Itemized PAC contributions processed by the FEC through July 15, 2026. 153 PACs in total.
R Derrick Van Orden
Itemized PAC contributions processed by the FEC through July 22, 2026. 279 PACs in total.
Primary Sources
- FEC candidate page, Rebecca Cooke: fec.gov/data/candidate/H4WI03169
- FEC committee filings, Rebecca Cooke principal campaign committee: C00844993
- FEC candidate page, Derrick Van Orden: fec.gov/data/candidate/H0WI03175
- FEC committee filings, Derrick Van Orden principal campaign committee: C00742007
- FEC independent expenditures, 2026 cycle: fec.gov independent expenditures
- Race rating: Cook Political Report, October 16, 2026
- Nominees: wisconsinexaminer.com