Zac Schultz:

We turn first to western Wisconsin and the third congressional. The incumbent Democrat Ron Kind is retiring leaving an open seat. A recent poll found the Republican in the race holds a five-point lead but that the majority of voters still haven’t heard enough about either candidate. “Here & Now” reporter Nathan Denzin traveled to La Crosse and has our story.

Nathan Denzin:

The race to represent Wisconsin’s third congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives is heating up as election day approaches. Democrat Brad Pfaff is going up against Republican Derrick Van Orden in a competition of two very different campaign strategies.

Anthony Chergosky:

It’s hard to imagine two candidates with more different styles. You look at Brad Pfaff, low-key guy, really focuses on his family background from rural Wisconsin. Derrick Van Orden comes into the district, really wants to brand himself as an outsider in politics.

Derrick Van Orden:

I will pry that gavel out of Nancy Pelosi’s hand.

Anthony Chergosky:

Van Orden wants to come in as someone who’s going to get in the arena and fight those cultural battles and really show his support for Donald Trump.

Nathan Denzin:

Anthony Chergosky studies political science at UW-La Crosse. He says this race is garnering national attention due to the retirement of long-time Representative Ron Kind in the district’s highly competitive nature. Kind was one of the few Democrats elected to Congress in a district that voted for Donald Trump in 2020. The challenge for both candidates: how to relate to a large, geographically diverse district that includes six University of Wisconsin campuses and a large farming population?

Anthony Chergosky:

There are really key and significant rural elements of this district. And we know how well Republicans are doing in rural parts of Wisconsin. We know how well they’re doing in rural parts of America. This is no different.

Nathan Denzin:

So far in the race, Van Orden has chosen to nationalize his politics, often bashing Joe Biden for federal policies online. His website lists COVID-19 restrictions in schools, stopping tax hikes and “leading with integrity” as his top three issues going into the election.

Announcer:

Derrick Van Orden, former U.S. Navy SEAL.

Nathan Denzin:

Van Orden did not respond to several requests to be interviewed for this report. The Republican has found himself in the middle of numerous controversies over the past year, including reports he was at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 during the insurrection and an incident where he reportedly made library staff in Prairie du Chien feel threatened over a LGBTQ+ Pride display.

Derrick Van Orden:

I’m Derrick Van Orden. I’m a retired Navy SEAL and I’m the nominee for Wisconsin’s third congressional district.

Nathan Denzin:

The Republican spoke at President Trump’s rally in Waukesha on August 5th, a city about 100 miles from the closest point in the third district.

Derrick Van Orden:

I want to thank President Trump for having me here today and for continuing to fight for America. It is irrefutable that this nation was better under his leadership. It’s not a partisan statement. It’s reality.

Nathan Denzin:

At the rally, Van Orden bashed Joe Biden on rising inflation and fentanyl overdoses, illegal immigration and the removal of troops from Afghanistan.

Derrick Van Orden:

The one thing that all these things had in common, none of them, none of them happened under Donald J. Trump.

Nathan Denzin:

A fact check here. Despite Van Orden’s claim, none of these issues were prevalent during Trump’s time in office: fentanyl overdoses have been steadily arising in America since 2014. The number of apprehensions at the border in the last 12 months are 336% higher than Trump’s last year in office and Trump supported the removal of all troops from Afghanistan.

Brad Pfaff:

Life was a little different when I grew up on a farm.

Nathan Denzin:

Van Orden’s competition, Brad Pfaff, has taken a very different approach to his campaign, choosing to focus his attention on local issues.

Brad Pfaff:

We need to make sure any type of public policy we put in place understands the people’s needs and what is happening out here in the countryside.

Nathan Denzin:

Pfaff says he can relate to voters in western Wisconsin because he has lived and served his whole life here. The Democrat was a staffer for Ron Kind for more than 12 years representing the district before taking positions in President Obama, then Governor Evers’ administrations.

Brad Pfaff:

I’ve had the opportunity to do agriculture policy for U.S. Senator Herb Kohl. Do agriculture policy and rural policy for Congressman Ron Kind, to spend eight years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Obama administration and it was a dream of a lifetime to be asked by Governor Evers to serve as our state secretary of agriculture.

Nathan Denzin:

Pfaff’s legislative goals include providing tax incentives for manufacturers that move back to America from overseas, investing in affordable education like trade schools and apprenticeship programs and protecting Wisconsin workers through legislation Tammy Baldwin introduced that aims to restore fair exchange rates for exported products.

Brad Pfaff:

Here in Wisconsin, particularly here in western Wisconsin, we know how to build things. We know how to innovate. We know how to engineer. And we have some of the best workers around the world. The thing is, they just need an opportunity in order to apply their trade.

Nathan Denzin:

Pfaff also criticized Van Orden saying his temperament and attitudes do not match the district.

Brad Pfaff:

Derrick Van Orden, my opponent in this fall election, he is not from here. He does not know the people or the communities of this district. He doesn’t share our values. The thing is that we’re hard working, God-fearing, patriotic people out here. What Derrick Van Orden’s temperament, his judgment and his character does not reflect the people of this district.

Nathan Denzin:

The big question, which style of campaign will turn out enough votes to win the election in November. Whether that be through nationalized politics…

Anthony Chergosky:

I think Derrick Van Orden learned he can really lock down those Republican supporters by emphasizing how much he backs Donald Trump.

Nathan Denzin:

Or if the path to victory is through local efforts.

Anthony Chergosky:

And so Brad Pfaff is really, I think, going to try to model his campaign after Ron Kind and try to show ways where he is distinct from Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi and Washington Republicans.

Nathan Denzin:

For “Here & Now,” I’m Nathan Denzin in La Crosse.