Here & Now

Anthony Chergosky on Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District

Frederica Freyberg:

The lines are set in the race for Wisconsin’s third congressional district in west central Wisconsin. Republican candidate Derrick Van Orden will face off against Democratic primary winner Brad Pfaff. Why is this election in the national spotlight and who are these candidates? We turn to Anthony Chergosky, political science professor at UW-La Crosse. Thanks for being here.

Anthony Chergosky:

Thank you.

Frederica Freyberg:

As to those questions, why is the third being so closely watched?

Anthony Chergosky:

It’s by far the most competitive U.S. House of Representatives district in Wisconsin and some prognostication services say it’s one of the most likely districts to flip party control. Republicans have their eye on this district as they seek to regain majority control of the House of Representatives.

Frederica Freyberg:

So let’s take a look at those candidates. How would you describe them, Derrick Van Orden first.

Anthony Chergosky:

Derrick Van Orden is a staunch Donald Trump ally. He’s someone who really brands himself as being part of the Donald Trump movement of the party. He was famously in D.C. on January 6th, 2021. He says that he was not involved in the riot, he was not in a restricted area. Some of the facts are disputed surrounding that. But what is clear is that Derrick Van Orden is a staunch, staunch supporter of Donald Trump and this district did go Donald Trump’s way by a small margin. That could bode well for Derrick Van Orden.

Frederica Freyberg:

What about Brad Pfaff?

Anthony Chergosky:

Brad Pfaff really is in the — he’s really following in the footsteps of Ron Kind, I would say. Ron Kind, the longtime Congress person from this district who ran as a moderate Democrat. Someone really focused on those local issues. Someone who could draw that key crossover support from voters who may vote Republican in other races but were willing to vote for Kind in the race for Congress. Pfaff runs as someone who is really focused on rural issues. Democrats are hungry for someone who can connect with that key rural audience. We’ll see if Pfaff can be that person.

Frederica Freyberg:

Is there any sense at this point that the FBI searches and depositions and investigations into Trump will give his supporters in that district any pause?

Anthony Chergosky:

I’m not sure, Frederica. I mean, we know that there is a strong rural/urban divide in this district and I think that’s been really the key political development in western Wisconsin in this third district over the last number of years. Where rural areas have become very strong in the Republican camp, this could have an effect on those areas, how they turn out to vote in November. At the same time, we know that Democrats are highly motivated in this election due to Derrick Van Orden’s presence in D.C. on January 6th and his strong support of Donald Trump.

Frederica Freyberg:

What in your estimation are the major issues in the district there?

Anthony Chergosky:

Well, Derrick Van Orden focuses a lot on national political issues. He’s very active on social media and really focuses on the issues that animate the Republican base nationally. Those culture war issues, those issues related to Joe Biden and wanting to defeat Joe Biden, wanting to unseat the Democrats for majority control. So he’s really in line with the national Republican messaging. Brad Pfaff, on the other hand, is trying to localize the race. Focus on those local issues. Agriculture being a key one. Education being another one. We have many UW campuses in this district. UW has a major presence in this area. So all of that could play out in this campaign in unpredictable ways but we know Derrick Van Orden is more focused on that national Republican brand, while Brad Pfaff wants to distinguish himself from the national Democratic brand and focus more on those local issues.

Frederica Freyberg:

What do you think about that? Which works best in that district in your estimation?

Anthony Chergosky:

For years Ron Kind has been able to win re-election through focusing on those local issues and creating some distance between himself and that national Democratic Party brand. He has been able to say that he’s different than other Democrats. He’s more moderate than other Democrats, and that he’s really focused on those local issues, those agricultural issues, those issues related to our presence right along the Mississippi River, for example. So I think Brad Pfaff is trying to replicate the Ron Kind strategy and we’ll see if that wins out or if those national factors carry Derrick Van Orden to a win.

Frederica Freyberg:

Ok, Professor Anthony Chergosky, thank you very much for joining us.

Anthony Chergosky:

Thank you.