Wisconsin Republicans look to reelect a US House incumbent and pick up an open seat

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A first-term Wisconsin Republican who was in the nation’s Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection was vying for a second term Tuesday, while another candidate running with the backing of former President Donald Trump was hoping to keep an open district under GOP control.

A former Democratic congressman and state lawmaker was also trying to defeat a Republican in southeast Wisconsin.

Here are the three most-watched congressional races in Wisconsin:

Democrats eye flip in western Wisconsin

Western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, which had been represented by a Democrat for 26 years before it flipped in 2022 with the win by Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, is the most competitive district in the state.

Van Orden is a former Navy SEAL who was at the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and remains one of Trump’s loudest backers in Wisconsin.

He is a top target for Democrats. Former small-business owner and political activist Rebecca Cooke won a three-person primary to take on Van Orden. She has raised more money than any other Democratic challenger in the state, a sign of Democratic optimism for the race.

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With the Mississippi River and Minnesota to the west, the district includes the rolling hills of the Driftless Area and Chippewa Falls. From Illinois, it stretches 250 miles (400 kilometers) north past Prairie du Chien, known for its Cabela’s outdoor gear distribution center and 19th-century riverside historic sites.

Trump-backed candidate hopes to claim open seat

Former gas station chain owner Tony Wied, running his first race, won the endorsement of Trump to emerge from the Republican primary. He faces Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an obstetrician and abortion rights advocate who sued to overturn Wisconsin’s abortion ban.

Lyerly tried to make the race about abortion. The heavily Republican district includes cities such as Green Bay as well as rural areas.

The seat was vacant after the surprise resignation earlier this year of Republican Mike Gallagher, a sometime critic of Trump’s.

Former lawmaker looks for Democratic upset

Peter Barca, a former congressman and member of the state Legislature, is trying to win back the seat he previously held 30 years ago.

Barca is challenging Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, who is seeking a fourth term representing southeast Wisconsin. Steil succeeded former House Speaker Paul Ryan.

The seat, which leans conservative, was made more competitive for Democrats following the latest round of redistricting.

Barca represented the district in Congress for less than two years, leaving in 1995. He served in the state Assembly two different times for a total of more than 18 years. Before running for Congress, Barca spent more than five years as state revenue secretary.

The district touches Illinois on the south and includes the cities of Kenosha, Racine and Janesville.