Politics

Wisconsin Democrat Katrina Shankland announces bid to unseat US Rep. Derrick Van Orden

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Democratic legislator from central Wisconsin announced Tuesday that she is running for U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s seat next year.

State Rep. Katrina Shankland, of Stevens Point, joined a crowded field of Democratic challengers in western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District. Former La Crosse County Board Chair Tara Johnson, small-business owner Rebecca Cooke and Harvard Law School student Aaron Nytes all have announced plans to run.

Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL, narrowly defeated Democratic state Sen. Brad Pfaff to flip the seat for the GOP last year after longtime Democratic incumbent Ron Kind chose not to seek reelection. Pfaff has decided not to challenge Van Orden in 2024.

Van Orden was admonished in July by fellow Republicans and Democrats, who called on him to apologize after he yelled vulgarities at high school-aged U.S. Senate pages, who were lying on the floor of the Capitol Rotunda taking pictures.

Before he was elected to Congress, Van Orden was also outside of the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, .

His campaign didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Shankland’s candidacy.

1 Comment

  1. nick

    October 4, 2023 at 10:04 am

    One thing is for sure. I am a registered independent and as such will never know when these candidates are in LaCrosse.
    I have an open mind on the congressional seat. My hot button is do any of the candidates including VanOrden realize how dangerous China is and for that matter Iran, Russia and North Korea?
    I will concede on abortion as long as their on limitations.
    We need serious people from both parties who are not going to just adhere to party lines.

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