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A Democratic House campaigner vying to flip a cardinal Republican-held spot is connected nan protect aft reversing her position connected conversion therapy pursuing backlash from nan party's near flank.
Rebecca Cooke, a Democratic challenger vying to unseat Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., many times declined to endorse a national prohibition connected conversion therapy during respective forums held up of nan Aug. 11 primary.
But aft drafting disapproval from immoderate progressive voters, Cooke reversed course, saying nan national authorities should prohibit nan arguable practice, which often involves intelligence wellness professionals offering talk therapy for individuals struggling pinch their intersexual predisposition aliases gender identity.
The rumor gained renewed attraction erstwhile nan Supreme Court ruled earlier this twelvemonth that Colorado could not enforce a state-level ban connected conversion therapy complete free reside concerns, sparking backlash from immoderate Democrats.
Demonstrators rally successful consequence to nan U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of a Colorado rule banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors astatine Stonewall National Monument successful New York connected April 1, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
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The reversal comes arsenic Cooke appears to beryllium stepping a governmental tightrope connected LGBTQ issues successful nan Trump-friendly plaything district, wherever she must entreaty to some Democratic superior voters and nan broader electorate.
Before Cooke tin activity a rematch against Van Orden, she must first flooded a primary challenge from erstwhile Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge, who is moving to her left.
Asked what lawmakers could do to push backmost against nan Supreme Court ruling astatine a May forum successful La Crosse, Cooke sidestepped nan mobility and said she preferred "local communities having control."
"I’m successful favour of that benignant of section power erstwhile making policies for illustration this," nan Wisconsin Democrat said.
Wisconsin’s conversion therapy prohibition took effect successful 2022, while nan metropolis of Eau Claire, successful Van Orden’s district, prohibited nan believe successful 2018.
Meanwhile, astatine a June candidate forum successful Platteville, Cooke said "no" erstwhile asked if nan national authorities should walk authorities to prohibition conversion therapy.
Her answers prompted outrage from immoderate progressive voters.
"I find it absorbing that not successful one, but TWO forums you said you would time off conversion therapy up to nan states to decide," 1 personification wrote connected Facebook. "That is not protecting nan LGBTQ community."
"I don’t cognize really you tin opportunity ‘Happy Pride’ if you aren’t consenting to guidelines up for group you want to correspond successful Congress," different relationship replied. "If you are consenting to waste retired nan LGBTQIA+ organization for votes, who is next?"
Rebecca Cooke, campaigner for Congress successful Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, speaks during a municipality hallway hosted by Pete Buttigieg astatine nan La Crosse Center connected Jan. 16, 2026, successful La Crosse, Wis. (Kayla Wolf/Getty Images)
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Amid nan backlash, Cooke said she "misunderstood" nan moderator's mobility and said she supported a national prohibition connected conversion therapy successful a connection posted connected a third-party relationship aft nan debate.
During a July forum successful Eau Claire, Cooke clarified, "I do not support conversion therapy whatsoever."
Berge, who helped enact Eau Claire’s section conversion therapy ban, was clear passim nan campaigner forums successful denouncing nan practice.
"As a therapist, conversion therapy has nary spot successful our society, successful our culture," she said during nan June event.
Republicans sharply criticized Cooke’s reversal connected conversion therapy bans.
Van Orden's run based on Cooke, who counts Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., among her endorsers, flip-flopped connected her stance while still trying to "portray herself arsenic a moderate."
"Rebecca Cooke is truthful hopeless to appease nan far-left woke mob that Wisconsin voters can’t beryllium judge wherever she really stands," Republican National Committee (RNC) spokesperson Hunter Lovell told Fox News Digital.
"She’s trying to beryllium 1 campaigner for wide activists and different for everyone else," he continued. "Whether it’s caving to nan acold near aliases scrambling to rebrand herself for nan wide election, Cooke owes Wisconsinites an answer: Which Rebecca Cooke would show up successful Congress?"
Fox News Digital reached retired to Cooke for comment.
Cooke, a erstwhile Democratic consultant, fundraiser and mini business owner, has consistently supported expanding LGBTQ authorities during her erstwhile 2 grounded bids for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden speaks earlier Vice President JD Vance astatine Pointe Precision successful Plover, Wis., connected Feb. 26, 2026. (Getty Images)
In her 3rd tally for nan seat, nan repetition campaigner is making clear that nan Democrat-backed Equality Act — authorities that would make intersexual predisposition and gender personality protected classes nether national civilian authorities rule perchance affecting women-only spaces and female sports teams — is simply a "centerpiece" of her campaign.
She is besides endorsed by nan progressive Human Rights Campaign, which has advocated for activity alteration procedures for minors, including hormone therapy and puberty blockers.
President Donald Trump comfortably carried nan sprawling plaything territory by much than 7 points successful 2024, meaning Cooke would apt person to triumph complete a conception of nan president’s voters to prevail successful November.
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Cooke, who importantly outperformed erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris, mislaid to Van Orden successful nan wide predetermination by conscionable nether 3 points successful 2024, according to analysis from The Downballot.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates nan battleground title arsenic a "toss-up."
