Democrat opposes Rep. Derrick Van Orden over Senate pages incident.
Democrat Rebecca Cooke Criticizes GOP Freshman for Swearing at Teenage Senate Pages
Democrat Rebecca Cooke, who is running against Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, has strongly criticized the GOP freshman for his inappropriate behavior towards teenage Senate pages. Cooke seized this opportunity to raise funds for her campaign, highlighting the incident as an example of Van Orden’s character.
“I’m Becca Cooke, the Democrat running to beat Derrick Van Orden,” Cooke stated on Friday. “He’s the MAGA weirdo who just cussed out a bunch of kids in the Capitol rotunda.”
Van Orden’s Outburst
During an evening tour of the Capitol on Wednesday, Van Orden yelled and cursed at Senate pages. These pages, who are typically high school-aged and assist in the Senate by delivering correspondence and legislative materials, documented the incident in a transcript shortly after it occurred after midnight.
According to the transcript, the freshman representative referred to the pages as “lazy s***s” and instructed them to “get the f*** up” off the Capitol Rotunda, where they were lying down and taking photos. The Hill obtained the transcript after Punchbowl News initially reported the interaction.
Van Orden defended himself to the Washington Examiner on Thursday evening, emphasizing the historical significance of the Capitol Rotunda as a former hospital for soldiers during the Civil War.
“I have long said our nation’s Capitol is a symbol of the sacrifice our servicemen and women have made for this country and should never be treated like a frat house common room,” Van Orden said.
Cooke’s Campaign Against Van Orden
Cooke recently announced her bid to unseat Van Orden, positioning herself as the normal, homegrown leader of Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District.
“It’s time for Derrick to go, and I’m the normal, homegrown #WI03 leader who can beat him,” Cooke confidently stated.
In the 2022 primary, Cooke finished 8 points behind state Sen. Brad Pfaff in a four-way race. Van Orden, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, succeeded Democrat Ron Kind, who retired after holding the Wisconsin seat for over 24 years.
Reactions from GOP Members and Senate Leaders
Following the incident, several GOP members have expressed their disapproval of Van Orden’s behavior. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) stated that he plans to address the issue with Van Orden.
Senate leaders Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also commented on the incident. Schumer expressed shock at Van Orden’s refusal to apologize to the young people involved.
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