By Renee Hickman
EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin, Aug 10 (Reuters) - When she's not trekking across Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District to meet voters, Democratic congressional challenger Rebecca Cooke is still on her feet, waiting tables at two restaurants around Eau Claire, a city of about 73,000 people surrounded by rolling farmland.
"When you're serving people at a restaurant, it's almost like you're knocking doors every time you're waiting a table," said Cooke, who is trying to flip one of a shrinking number of highly competitive seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in November's midterm elections that could end Republican control of Congress.
Cooke doesn't get into deep political conversations as she takes orders, she said, but customers do sometimes recognize her and tell her about issues they care about, occasionally writing notes of support on receipts. She keeps the best ones in a folder on her phone.
Each of those tableside moments could be a difference-maker for Cooke, 38, the Democratic frontrunner in Tuesday's primary. If victorious, she will head to a rematch with Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden, who was elected in 2022, in what's expected to be a tight race that could turn on how President Donald Trump's policies have affected rural voters.
#waiting
EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin, Aug 10 (Reuters) - When she's not trekking across Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District to meet voters, Democratic congressional challenger Rebecca Cooke is still on her feet, waiting tables at two restaurants around Eau Claire, a city of about 73,000 people surrounded by rolling farmland.
"When you're serving people at a restaurant, it's almost like you're knocking doors every time you're waiting a table," said Cooke, who is trying to flip one of a shrinking number of highly competitive seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in November's midterm elections that could end Republican control of Congress.
Cooke doesn't get into deep political conversations as she takes orders, she said, but customers do sometimes recognize her and tell her about issues they care about, occasionally writing notes of support on receipts. She keeps the best ones in a folder on her phone.
Each of those tableside moments could be a difference-maker for Cooke, 38, the Democratic frontrunner in Tuesday's primary. If victorious, she will head to a rematch with Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden, who was elected in 2022, in what's expected to be a tight race that could turn on how President Donald Trump's policies have affected rural voters.
#waiting
3 months ago
