¶ How To Win Against Derrick Van Orden
Derrick Van Orden has been a headache for the district. He backed ripping health care from thousands of Wisconsinites, defended Trump’s tariffs as they rattled farm country, cheered on cuts and chaos that slowed Social Security and squeezed agricultural programs, and he can’t control his temper—from the Prairie du Chien library blow-up to berating teen Senate pages to shouting down witnesses in committee. He was also photographed near Capitol grounds on January 6th. La Crosse, Eau Claire, and rural Wisconsin communities deserve sober leadership, not bar-fight politics.
¶ VAN ORDEN VOTED FOR DEVASTATING HEALTH CARE CUTS after promising he wouldn't
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Van Orden promised that he could not cut Medicaid and that Americans would not see “a single nickel reduction” in their benefits. Then, he voted for a bill that would kick 17 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 12 million Americans off of Medicaid. More than 32,000 Wisconsinites could lose their health coverage as a result of his votes. Van Orden also put rural hospitals like MCHS Oakridge at risk.
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Van Orden claimed Americans would not see a “single nickel reduction” in their Medicare benefits as a result of Republicans' budget bill. Then, he voted for a bill that the Congressional Budget Office estimated would result in nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, absent future congressional action.
Message: Van Orden voted to drain our safety net and leave Wisconsinites with a hangover.
¶ VAN ORDEN WAS THE DECIDING VOTE TO PROTECT TRUMP’S TARIFFS THAT WERE CRUSHING WISCONSIN FARMERS
- Despite acknowledging that tariffs were “going to be painful” for Wisconsinites, Van Orden not only defended the tariffs, but threatened other countries and told them to get in line with the trade war or Trump would destroy them. He even taunted a Canadian premier after he announced retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.
- Then, he voted four times to protect the tariffs, including in April 2025 when he was the deciding vote to protect them, dooming Wisconsin families who relied on him to a trade war and rising prices. Tariffs are contributing to higher food prices and causing problems for Wisconsin farmers.
- As a result of Trump’s trade war, China had stopped buying Americans soybeans and instead started buying them from Brazil. China had previously been the biggest buyer of American soybeans.
Message: Van Orden has been toasting trade wars while Wisconsin farmers pick up the tab.
¶ VAN ORDEN CHEERED AS SOCIAL SECURITY, FARMERS, AND VETERANS SUFFERED
- Van Orden supported the “tumultuous” nature of DOGE, at one point saying he “would rather shake the tree than water the tree with the blood of liberty.” He even joined the congressional DOGE caucus. Meanwhile, DOGE-driven cuts and downsizing were affecting the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors. More than 180,000 Wisconsinites in Van Orden’s district rely on Social Security benefits.
- He defended DOGE even though an Athens, WI farmer said cuts to federal agricultural programs were affecting her bottom line.
- Van Orden also defended Trump’s mass layoffs of federal workers, even going so far as to bully and threaten a veteran who had been fired who messaged Van Orden on LinkedIn asking him to help stop the firings.
Message: Van Orden toasted to cuts that hurt seniors, farmers, and veterans and called it efficiency instead of keeping lines open and the checks on-time.
¶ DERRICK VAN ORDEN: CONDUCT UNBECOMING A CONGRESSMAN
- Van Orden has not demonstrated the appropriate temperament for a congressman. His anger problems have been widely reported on, tracing back to his first run for Congress when he yelled at a teenager working as a library page because he was offended by a pride month book display.
- During his first term in congress, Van Orden berated a group of 16 and 17-year-old Senate pages and shouted curse words at them in the Capitol rotunda.
- Most recently, he shouted at and belittled a witness testifying in Congress about food assistance programs, and posted a photo of a naked man wearing a ski mask and holding a sex toy as part of a feud with another congressman.
Message: Wisconsinites ordered serious, competent leadership, not another round of embarrassing bar-stool blowups.
¶ it took Van oRden 11 months to vote to release the epstein files and he did only after trump gave republicans permission
- In November 2025, after 11 months, Van Orden finally voted to release the Epstein files, but only after Donald Trump gave House Republicans permission to do so. Van Orden said he wanted “every bit of evidence concerning Epstein” to be released, but then criticized people for making the release of the files a priority. In July, Van Orden had cast the deciding vote against releasing the Epstein files, protecting the accused pedophiles named within them. Van Orden also never signed the discharge petition that called for their release and he never co-sponsored Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna’s resolution calling for their release. He also claimed the letter Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday was fake.
Message: Van Orden claimed he wanted “every bit” of information about Epstein released, but it took him 11 months to vote to release the Epstein files and he did only after Trump gave Republicans permission.
¶ VAN ORDEN WAS PHOTOGRAPHED NEAR CAPITOL GROUNDS ON JANUARY 6TH
- Van Orden attended the “Stop the Steal” rally headlined by Donald Trump on January 6th, 2021.
- Despite claiming he did not engage in the riot or reach Capitol grounds, there was a photo of him posted on Facebook within a restricted area on the Capitol Grounds on January 6th.
- Van Orden’s campaign finance report also included several charges for transportation and hotels in Washington, D.C. around January 6th, indicating that he used campaign money to fund his trip.
Message: Van Orden has demonstrated time and time again that he is unfit to serve as a congressman.
¶ Hospitals At Risk In WI-3
¶ Issue Backups
¶ Derrick Van Orden's Policies hurt Everyday Wisconsinites
Van Orden Voted To Take Health Coverage From Wisconsinites
Van Orden Voted For Massive Medicare Cuts
Van Orden Protected Tariffs That Raised Costs On Wisconsinites
Van Orden Defended Attacks on Social Security
¶ Derrick Van Orden Used His Power To Benefit Himself And the Powerful
It Took Van Orden 11 Months To Vote To Release The Epstein Files and He Did Only After Trump Said It Was Okay
Van Orden Has Serious Anger Problems
Van Orden Was Photographed Near Capitol Grounds During The Insurrection
Van Orden's Key Votes In Congress