Washington Examiner

Democrat opposes Rep. Derrick Van Orden over Senate pages incident.

Democrat ‍Rebecca Cooke Criticizes GOP Freshman for Swearing at Teenage Senate Pages

Democrat Rebecca ⁤Cooke, who ⁢is running against Rep. Derrick Van Orden⁣ (R-WI) ​in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District,‌ has strongly criticized the​ GOP ⁢freshman for his inappropriate behavior towards teenage ⁤Senate pages. Cooke seized this opportunity to raise funds for her campaign, ‌highlighting the incident as an ⁢example of Van Orden’s character.

“I’m Becca⁣ Cooke, the Democrat running to ⁣beat Derrick Van Orden,” Cooke ​stated on ⁢Friday. ​“He’s⁢ the MAGA weirdo who just cussed out a ‍bunch of kids in the Capitol rotunda.”

Van Orden’s Outburst

During ⁣an evening⁤ tour of the Capitol on Wednesday, Van‌ Orden⁤ yelled and cursed at Senate pages. These pages, who are typically high school-aged and‌ assist⁢ in the Senate by delivering correspondence and legislative materials, documented the incident in a transcript shortly​ after it occurred after‍ midnight.

According to the transcript, the freshman representative referred to ⁤the pages as “lazy s***s” and instructed them to “get the f*** up” off the Capitol Rotunda, where they were lying down and taking photos. The Hill ⁢obtained ⁢the transcript ⁤after Punchbowl News‌ initially reported the ‌interaction.

Van ⁤Orden defended himself to the‌ Washington Examiner ‍on Thursday evening, emphasizing the historical ⁣significance of the Capitol Rotunda ⁢as a former hospital for ‍soldiers during‍ the Civil War.

“I have⁤ long said our nation’s Capitol is⁤ a symbol ‍of the sacrifice our servicemen and‍ women have made for this country and should never be treated like a⁣ frat house common room,” ​Van Orden said.

Cooke’s⁢ Campaign Against Van‍ Orden

Cooke recently announced her bid to unseat Van ‌Orden, positioning ​herself as the ⁤normal, homegrown leader⁤ of ⁢Wisconsin’s⁣ 3rd Congressional District.

“It’s time for Derrick to go, and I’m the normal, homegrown #WI03 leader who can‌ beat him,” ‍Cooke confidently ⁤stated.

In the‍ 2022 primary, Cooke finished 8 points behind‍ state Sen. Brad Pfaff in a four-way⁢ race. Van Orden, a staunch‍ ally of former President Donald Trump, succeeded ⁤Democrat Ron ⁤Kind, who retired after holding the Wisconsin seat for ‌over ​24 years.

Reactions from GOP Members and Senate Leaders

Following ⁣the incident, several GOP members have expressed their disapproval of ⁣Van Orden’s behavior. House⁣ Speaker Kevin⁢ McCarthy (R-CA)‌ stated that he plans to address the issue with Van Orden.

Senate leaders Chuck ⁣Schumer⁣ (D-NY) ​and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also commented on the incident. ⁤Schumer expressed​ shock​ at Van Orden’s refusal to‌ apologize to the young people involved.

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