Rebecca Cooke really, really, really did not want to answer Townhall’s questions about her radical anti-ICE positions and rhetoric.
Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Cooke, seeking to unseat Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin’s competitive 3rd District, was caught on video abruptly walking away from a reporter’s questions.
“Do you support the deportation of illegal immigrants that rape and murder U.S. citizens?” the reporter asked. “Why did you call ICE disgusting? Do you support the abolishment of ICE?”
Cooke remained silent, put her head down, and quickened her pace as she walked away.
Cooke, a professional political activist who narrowly lost to Van Orden in 2024, has positioned herself as a moderate Democrat focused on health care and rural issues. Critics, however, point to the incident as emblematic of a reluctance to face tough scrutiny amid reports of outraising the incumbent in recent cycles and accusations of past conflicts of interest.
The avoidance drew sharp rebukes from conservative observers, who argue it undermines claims of accountability. Neither Cooke nor her campaign immediately responded to requests for comment on the video.
The 3rd District remains a key battleground, with both parties viewing it as pivotal to House control.
