From Anna I. Gates

Eau Claire

To the Editor:

It only takes a trip to the grocery store or a gallon of gas to know that we can no longer afford Derrick Van Orden. Under Van Orden and the Trump administration, prices of nearly everything have skyrocketed. Food costs have risen due to inflation and supply pressures; energy costs have spiked in response to tariffs and the war in Iran; and living expenses, such as rent, clothing, and electronics, have climbed by thousands of dollars per family.

Increased costs have been especially devastating for Wisconsin’s farmers. Higher prices for diesel fuel, fertilizer, machinery and transport expenses are putting many farmers on the brink of financial collapse. According to government-lending firm Farmer Mac, over 50% of U.S. farms will not turn a profit this year, and the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Payment program is merely an expensive Band-Aid.

Due to the conflict in Iran and the associated increases in oil and shipping costs, prices for energy and consumer goods are expected to continue to rise through 2027. The Congressional Budget Office predicts inflation caused by the war will also persist into 2027.

Derrick Van Orden is complicit in our current financial crisis through his support of trade tariffs and the war. Additionally, he also voted to suspend the debt ceiling, and his votes for H.R. 1 and the Big Beautiful Bill will add trillions to the deficit over the next decade. Since 2025 alone, he has voted for policies that have increased the debt by 10.6 percent to over $40 trillion.

So, the question is what can we do now? The answer is to put Democrats in Congress and restore our system of checks and balances. In Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district, that means electing Rebecca Cooke.

Rebecca Cooke will help Congress put a stop to the fiscal irresponsibility of Derrick Van Orden and the Trump administration. Moreover, Cooke has her own plans to lower costs and limit the financial damage supported by Van Orden. She will fight to end the costly Iran War; she will eliminate tariffs that have cut off agricultural markets; she will provide tax credits for new homebuyers; and she will work to end surveillance pricing and enforce antitrust laws.

We can no longer afford the policies of Derrick Van Orden and the Trump administration. If you value a dollar, vote for Rebecca Cooke in November.