3rd Congressional District candidate hopes to continue moderate approach

Jun. 3—EAU CLAIRE — Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District has been represented by moderates known for working with members of the opposite party for at least the past 42 years.

"Those are huge shoes to fill," said state Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, one of several candidates seeking to do just that by succeeding Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Kind of La Crosse and former Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Gunderson of Osseo.

Pfaff is adamant he doesn't want to see the district's tradition of moderate leadership end, saying he believes that path best reflects the values of the 3rd District, one of seven districts nationwide carried by a Democratic congressional representative and former GOP President Donald Trump.

"Ron Kind and Steve Gunderson worked to bring civility and find consensus by always reaching across the aisle and finding common ground. That's the 3rd District," Pfaff said Thursday between campaign stops in Eau Claire. "I try to take the same approach."

Pfaff said he fears that's opposite of the style that the lone Republican candidate, former Navy SEAL Derrick Van Orden of Prairie du Chien, would bring to the office. The Van Orden campaign has focused more on partisan, cultural issues that seek to divide people rather than bring them together, Pfaff said.

"I am confident that voters have rejected that in the past here in western Wisconsin and they'll do it again this fall," Pfaff said.

Pfaff, 54, is one of up to six Democrats seeking to replace Kind, who has represented the western Wisconsin district in Congress for 26 years. The other candidates who will clash in the Aug. 9 Democratic primary are Eau Claire business owner and nonprofit founder Rebecca Cooke, former CIA officer and U.S. Army Capt. Deb Baldus McGrath of Menomonie and retired pediatric critical care physician Mark Neumann of La Crosse. The nomination papers of Brett Knudsen of Holmen and Justin Bradley of La Crosse were still pending approval by the Wisconsin Elections Commission as of Thursday evening.

In what is considered one of the most competitive races in the country after Kind defeated Van Orden in 2020 by just under 3 percentage points, Pfaff said he believes it's important to focus on "kitchen-table issues," such as helping farmers, expanding the workforce and improving public safety, that affect the daily lives of constituents.

While Pfaff is hopeful Democrats retain their majority in the House and hold the few seats they occupy representing predominantly rural districts, he insisted his focus is on local issues and serving 3rd District residents. By contrast, Pfaff charged that Van Orden has sought to nationalize the election by concentrating on divisive partisan issues.

Van Orden responded with the following statement: "Wisconsin families are struggling to pay for gas and groceries on the same day because of the radical out of control spending championed by the Biden-Pelosi Democratic Party. Inflation is at a 40 year high with no relief in sight. Gas and diesel prices are through the roof because of Biden's anti-energy policies. These are the issues the people of the 3rd congressional district care about. ... Voters want a change in leadership here not another Pelosi-Biden rubber stamp."

In the wake of the national outcry over the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers May 24 at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Pfaff said he believes leaders should be able to find middle ground that would curb gun violence without infringing on Second Amendment rights.

That could happen, he said, by pursuing steps such as expanding background checks for gun buyers, improving mental health services and considering so-called red flag legislation that would allow judges to take guns away from people deemed a danger to themselves or others while insisting that people still have the right to own guns for hunting and security.

"We have to have this conversation," Pfaff said.

Pfaff maintained he's well-equipped to relate to district residents after growing up on La Crosse County dairy farm and a career of public service that includes working on the staffs of Kind and former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, overseeing farm service programs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at both the state and national level, a short stint as Wisconsin's agriculture secretary-designee and his current office in the state Senate.

After Gov. Tony Evers appointed Pfaff to his Cabinet as state agriculture secretary, Republicans in the Senate effectively fired him by rejecting his confirmation for what he considers partisan reasons. Pfaff went on to win a hard-fought state Senate election in 2020 — an experience he suggested would give him an advantage over other Democratic candidates in what is expected to be a tough campaign this fall.

Whatever Democrat emerges from the primary will face Van Orden in the Nov. 8 general election.