Derrick Van Orden, Rebecca Cooke in La Crosse for town halls next week — that likely won’t be broadcast

Only one La Crosse area race will see a debate between two candidates.

There is, however, another forum happening next week that will have a lot of people’s attention.

Both US House Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) and his Democratic opponent, Rebecca Cooke of Eau Claire, will be taking part in separate town halls through the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce — Van Orden on Monday followed by Cooke on Wednesday.

Both events will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Capella Events center in downtown La Crosse. 

The two have both hinted at debating each other in different ways, but nothing has come to fruition. In 2022, Van Orden refused to debate Brad Pfaff for the open seat left by retiring Ron Kind.

At this time, however, La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce government relations director Branden Yates, said there are no plans to broadcast the town halls for the general public — though media will be invited to cover the events.

“Initially our goal was to just get these two people in front of our membership,” Yates told WIZM. “As you kind of noted, we’re special. We’ve been able to get both of them to agree to come before our membership. So, that was our first priority.”

Yates, though, didn’t shut the door on the events possibly being broadcast. 

“Yeah, potentially,” he said. “Our goal was to get them in front of our membership and that’s what we’ve done. I think we can explore that option and talk to both campaigns and see if that’s something that would be viable and something each of them would want to do.

“It’s just not something that we had brought up initially,” Yates added. “Our goal at the chamber is to, of course, have an educated vote, but there’s a lot of people that play a role in that. And our role in that is for the business community.”

The only way, right now, to see entirely what these candidates have to say is pay $30 for both town halls or $20 for them individually (register here).

As for the format, Yates said both will answer 10 questions “about issues relating to the La Crosse Community. And, also, it provides a forum for our membership to just get to know these candidates.”

After those questions, Yates added there could be audience participation.

“Historically, there’s been a time at the end of these forums, for there to be more audience, candid questions for the candidates running for Congress,” he said.

The only debate happening in the La Crosse area happens in the District 32 Wisconsin state Senate seat between Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and his Republican opponent, Stacey Klein.

The debate will be recorded and broadcast in its entirety on WIZM, though it will not be live.

Also at 7 p.m. Friday, WIZM will air the Wisconsin US Senate debate between Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and her Republican challenger, Eric Hovde.

There will be no state Assembly debates between candidates representing La Crosse. The three Republican candidates cited “scheduling conflicts” in not taking part.