Republican Derrick Van Orden has won the race for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District seat, TMJ4 News projects.
Van Orden won 52 percent of the vote, compared to his Democrat opponent Brad Pfaff, who received 48 percent of the vote, according to preliminary voting data.
IMPORTANT ELECTION LINKS:
The congressional seat became open due to the retirement of Democratic Rep. Ron Kind, who has held the seat since 1997. In 2020, Kind narrowly defeated Van Orden in the district.
Kind endorsed State Sen. Pfaff to replace him, stating he would be “a champion for farmers, small businesses, workers and western Wisconsin families.”
Former President Donald Trump endorsed Van Orden in the 2022 race.
Van Orden is a former Navy SEAL who served in the military for 26 years. According to his website, "he retired as Navy SEAL Senior Chief with five combat deployments and several others to troubled areas in the world."
Van Orden is the author of the book "A Book of Man: A NAVY SEAL's Guide to the Lost Art of Manhood."
Pfaff currently serves in the State Senate and is a Ranking Member of the Agriculture and Tourism committee. Pfaff led the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection agency prior to his election to the State Senate, according to his website. He has also held senior positions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. He grew up on a dairy farm in La Crosse County.