EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — An Eau Claire business founder, Rebecca Cooke, kicked off her campaign to become the first woman to represent western Wisconsin in Congress. The seat is being vacated by Ron Kind of LaCrosse after 14 terms. Cooke. who is 31, cited life experiences as qualifications. “I grew up on a dairy farm that had to sell all their cows because of the price of milk,” she said. “I’ve run a small business during a global pandemic and had to figure out how to make payroll and rent. I’ve had to work with other entrepreneurs who are also going through those challenges.” Cooke owns Red’s Mercantile, a retail shop that sells home goods, clothing and accessories. Also she founded Red Letter Grant, a nonprofit that makes to female-owned startup businesses in a 10-county region. On issues she endorsed affordable health care, equitable education funding, job creation, family farm-friendly policies, and rural broadband. She promised a grassroots campaign.
Verbatim
Cooke: “In Congress we need to see more leaders that are more reflective of what America looks like – less millionaires and billionaires and more everyday people stepping off the sidelines to work for their community. I’ve been serving my community for a long time, and this is just doing that in a different way. I don’t feel like I have to ask for permission to get in the arena, and I’m excited to do that.”
Other candidates
The Democratic primary will be next August. Also declared are state senators Brad Pfaff, D-La Crosse, and Brett Knudsen, D-Holmen. Two Republicans have also declared: Denise Hurless of Altoona and Derrick Van Orden of Hager City, who narrowly lost to Kind in the 2020 general election.
Cooke. Grew up on a family farm near Wheaton. Graduate of North High School in Eau Claire and University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Has fund-raised for several congressional campaigns. A 2019 appointee of Governor Tony Evers to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board.