Pfaff, Van Orden headed for 3rd Congressional District showdown

Aug. 10—Brad Pfaff of Onalaska survived a four-person Democratic primary on Tuesday and will face Republican Derrick Van Orden of Prairie du Chien in November for the 3rd Congressional District seat that is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse.

Pfaff, a state senator, received 39% of the vote. Rebecca Cook, an Eau Claire small business owner, was second with 31%. Deb Baldus McGrath of Menomonie, an Army veteran and retired CIA officer, finished third with 19% of the vote. Mark Neumann, a retired physician from La Crosse, was fourth with 11%.

Van Orden, who lost to Kind in the 2020 election, was unopposed in the Republican primary.

"It's truly an honor to be your Democratic nominee for Congress," Pfaff said, thanking his primary opponents for a spirited race.

"Make no mistake, this election will be one of the most important of our lifetime," Pfaff said. "Derrick presents a clear and present danger to democracy and has proven time and time again that he lacks the temperament, character or the judgement to be in Congress.

"I look forward to working to earn your vote as we talk about the real issues facing hardworking Wisconsin families," Pfaff said. "Unlike my opponent, your voice and those across western and central Wisconsin will always be my top priority."

"My opponent Brad Pfaff has never had a job outside of politics and enthusiastically supports President Biden and (Nancy) Pelosi's radical policies and spending that are destroying America in real time," he said.

Van Orden on Wednesday voiced his concerns about Democrats and Pfaff.

"The Democratic Party has had complete control over the government for the last two years and have wrecked our economy, opened the border leading to massive amounts of drugs flowing into the country, abandoned Americans to terrorists in Afghanistan," Van Orden said.

"Wisconsinites have had enough," Van Orden said. "They want new leadership, someone who is not a career politician and will be a strong leader in these hard times."

Following are the primary election results from other area congressional and state legislative races:

Seventh Congressional District

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, secured 87% of the vote to defeat challenger David Kunelius II of Arbor Vitae in the Republican primary.

Tiffany will face Democrat Richard Ausman of Lac du Flambeau in November.

23rd State Senate District

State Rep. Jesse James, R-Altoona, appears to be headed to the state Senate by winning a three-candidate Republican primary.

James collected 50% of the vote. James has represented the 68th District in the state Assembly since 2018. Prior to entering politics, James had been Altoona's police chief.

Brian Westrate of Fall Creek, who owns a business in Altoona and serves as treasurer of the state Republican Party, finished second with 37% of the vote.

Sandra Scholz of Chippewa Falls finish third with 13%.

No Democrats were on the primary ballot.

Incumbent Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie, did not seek re-election.

68th State Assembly District

Karen Hurd, a nutritionist from Fall Creek, took 57% of the vote to win the Republican primary to succeed James.

Chris Connell, an automotive technician from Eau Claire, was second with 23% of the vote. Hillarie Roth, a nurse and substitute teacher from Altoona, was third with 19% of the vote.

Hurd will face Nathan Otto of Altoona in the November election. Otto was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

92nd State Assembly District

Incumbent Rep. Treig Pronschinske of Mondovi defeated Ryan Owens of Osseo in the Republican primary.

Pronschinske received 78% of the vote compared to 22% for Owens.

Pronschinske will face Maria Bamonti of Mondovi in the November election. Bamonti was unopposed in the Democratic primary.