Rebecca Cooke Is Running As a Poor Waitress, but Financial Disclosures Tell a Different Story

One of the more important Congressional races this November is in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District. Incumbent Republican Derrick Van Orden is being challenged by Democrat Rebecca Cooke, and he just bodied her for pretending she's a born-and-bred Wisconsinite.

Summer is coming to a close — and so is county fair season! Great to be out talking to exhibitors and fair goers alike in Gays Mills yesterday. Taking in the best of Wisconsin agriculture and rural traditions. pic.twitter.com/uEYIxcXrWx

— Rebecca Cooke (@RebeccaforWI) August 30, 2026

Van Orden pointed out that Cooke not only went to Minnesota for her degree but worked in California before returning to Wisconsin to use working-class voters.

I chose to live here because I love the Driftless.

You chose to get a $200,000 degree in MN then work in CA and then could come back here and use people for political power.

You’re using working class people and it is frankly disgusting. https://t.co/wTdOf5bqxN pic.twitter.com/wHfvxagfLk

— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) August 31, 2026

But it gets so much worse. Cooke is running as an impoverished waitress who couldn't afford healthcare. In reality, she owns several rental properties and is backed by Soros-funded groups.

DELAYED DISCLOSURE: A Wisconsin Democrat running for Congress as a working-class waitress was on the payroll of two left-leaning organizations tied to George Soros' Open Society Foundation — and voters didn't find out until two days after the primary.

Rebecca Cooke's personal… pic.twitter.com/StyPHMeEdH

— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) August 29, 2026

Here's more:

A waitress running for Congress in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District was on the payroll of two left-leaning organizations with ties to billionaire investor George Soros' Open Society Foundation.

Rebecca Cooke has portrayed herself as a working-class outsider, touting her experience as a waitress, small business owner and nonprofit leader raised on a dairy farm. 

But a personal financial disclosure released two days after Wisconsin’s Aug. 13 primary shows she received more than $5,000 apiece for work with Third Way and the Pipeline Fund, two left-leaning organizations with financial ties to George Soros’ Open Society network.

The Open Society network awarded $1 million to Third Way’s nonprofit research arm between 2023 and 2024, while the Pipeline Fund received $1.4 million directly from the Open Society Action Fund in 2024.

Through the Open Society Foundation, which serves as the umbrella organization for Soros' philanthropy network, Soros has distributed tens of millions of dollars to nonprofits and groups championing left-leaning causes like policing reform, LGBTQ rights and drug decriminalization.

Soros has donated more than $32 billion of his personal fortune to the Open Society's Foundation, which has been overseen by his son Alex Soros since 2022.

There's one slight error in the Fox News story: Wisconsin's primary was on August 11.

SOCIALISTS: Rebecca Cooke, who ran as an impoverished waitress who couldn't afford health insurance, asked for an extension that would prevent Democratic voters from learning about her rental properties and payments from two Soros-funded NGOs. Democrats keep getting caught lying… https://t.co/Kfly9RXXnw pic.twitter.com/jHLcygMZ2U

— @amuse (@amuse) August 30, 2026

Van Orden slammed Cooke for her ties to Soros, too.

Tip-Of-The-Iceberg.

She found a loophole.

You don’t actually have to list the amount of money you make from these organizations, you just have to list “over $5000” on schedule J.@RebeccaforWI needs to release her actual tax returns so Wisconsinites know how much $$$ she is… https://t.co/62XUKkZUib pic.twitter.com/B0AGgOcgzs

— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) August 31, 2026

Van Orden also called on Cooke to release her tax returns.

@RebeccaforWI did not even bother getting elected before she sold her soul.

I am called for her to release her tax returns so every Wisconsinite knows exactly how much money she is getting paid by George Soros and his gang.

The “at least $5000” thing is BS…

— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) August 30, 2026

But as Cooke has been hiding from Van Orden and refusing to debate, we doubt she'll do that. And local media won't ask Cooke any hard questions about this, either.

Hey everyone!

Remember when The Anointed One, @RebeccaforWI said she was eager to debate?

Well, she lied about that also. pic.twitter.com/ljjm6inWVe

— Derrick Van Orden (@derrickvanorden) August 29, 2026

Cooke is lying to Wisconsin voters. She's pretending to be a hardworking waitress when, in reality, she's a Soros-backed leftist who will tax Wisconsinites and not represent them or their values in Congress.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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