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Wisconsin Democrat Rebecca Cooke Stakes Out Hardline Gun Control in Key Wisconsin Race

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  March 26, 2026 10:00 AM

Rebecca Cooke, a Democrat running for Congress in Wisconsin’s Third District, has staked out a firmly progressive position on gun policy, backing sweeping reforms, including a ban on AR-15-style rifles, as she seeks to flip the seat blue against Republican Derrick Van Orden.

While that may align with the broader direction of the national Democratic Party, it marks a notable break in a district where even previous Democratic representatives have taken a more measured, moderate approach on gun rights.

“The time for thoughts and prayers are over. We need meaningful gun reform now. I know that Wisconsin has a rich heritage in hunting and gamesmanship, but we’re not talking about AR-15s at deer camp," Cooke said during the 2022 WI-03 Democratic Primary Debate, when asked whether she supports more gun control legislation. "As somebody who is a candidate of distinction for Moms Demand Action, I support universal background checks. I support the enforcement of red flag laws that are put up when someone is having a mental health crisis or is a domestic abuser so they’re not a harm to themselves or others. I support the elimination of the Charleston Loophole.”

That position, however, is not popular among constituents.

The previous congressman from the district, former Rep. Ron Kind, routinely broke with Democrats on sweeping gun control efforts, voting against multiple bills that would have banned commonly owned firearms, criminalized standard-capacity magazines, and expanded the FBI’s ability to deny Americans their Second Amendment rights. 

“Radical Rebecca Cooke’s support for banning guns shows just how much of an extreme Democrat she really is," RNC Spokesman Hunter Lovell said. "It’s clear she takes her cues directly from her pen pal, Mamdani. Radical Rebecca's extreme views are far outside the mainstream in western Wisconsin.” 

In other words, Cooke isn't running to represent voters, she's running to represent the Democratic Party.

This comes as Cooke has also positioned herself as an anti-ICE candidate, describing the agency and its actions as “disgusting and wrong.” Despite that stance, she has refused to say directly whether she supports abolishing ICE or backing the deportation of illegal immigrants.