FBI Director Kash Patel Campaigns With Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Eau Claire

Federal law enforcement leadership intersected with high-stakes congressional campaigning on Monday as FBI Director Kash Patel traveled to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Seated alongside Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Patel addressed roughly 50 local police officers and sheriffs at the city’s performing arts center for a discussion billed as a fireside chat on federal-local partnerships.

The visit marked the tenth time a member of President Donald Trump’s administration has appeared alongside Van Orden as the Prairie du Chien Republican seeks reelection. Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District race stands as one of just 18 tossup contests nationwide ahead of the midterm election, according to the Cook Political Report, in a political climate where Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to flip the U.S. House.

Voter Registration Data and Federal Fraud Inquiries

The joint appearance quickly turned to state-level politics and federal oversight of public assistance programs. Van Orden used the platform to demand that Wisconsin’s Democratic leadership hand over records to a Trump administration fraud-fighting task force.

The incumbent congressman called on Wisconsin’s Democratic leaders to release voter registration lists and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program data to federal investigators. Van Orden argued that state officials are withholding the information for political reasons.

“I would implore Gov. Evers to put aside his politics, because that’s all this is about, and turn over these rolls so that we can do the appropriate amount from the executive branch enforcement of this — because fraud is taking place in the state of Wisconsin. Governor Evers knows it.”

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, via Urbanmilwaukee and WPR

Van Orden added, That’s why he’s not releasing these lists.

That demand has met state-level resistance. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has refused federal demands for the aid recipient data. Furthermore, under Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, Wisconsin joined a multi-state lawsuit aimed at blocking the federal government from acquiring the records.

A spokesperson for Governor Evers rejected the accusations entirely, stating the Evers Administration has been working to combat fraud, waste and abuse longer than the congressman has been embarrassing Wisconsin in Congress.

State statistics complicate the federal narrative on welfare administration errors. In June, figures released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated that Wisconsin’s error rate for federal food assistance payments ranked among the lowest nationwide. That low error rate exempted the state from a provision in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 that otherwise forces states with high error rates to absorb a larger share of program costs.

Crime Rates, Cyber Threats, and Federal Partnerships

Moving beyond public assistance audits, Patel lauded local law enforcement cooperation and pointed to declines in violent crime. Moderated by Altoona Police Chief Kelly Bakken and featuring Alan Karr, the special agent in charge of the FBI Milwaukee field office, the discussion highlighted tactical coordination between municipal and federal agencies.

Patel told the audience that everything the bureau does is anchored by state and local partnerships, adding that the collaborative model functions more effectively in Wisconsin than anywhere else in the nation.

During the session, Patel cited specific crime reduction figures. Nationally, he said, the murder rate dropped 20 points, while Wisconsin saw a 30-point decline. Similarly, while the nationwide violent crime rate fell by 10 points, Wisconsin’s violent crime rate dropped by 15 points.

The FBI director also addressed cybersecurity vulnerabilities, pointing specifically to recent attacks on municipal water systems in neighboring states. He urged small local governments to contact federal authorities immediately upon detecting any digital intrusion.

“Every municipality, no matter how small, the second they have a small indication of a threat, or an intrusion, 1-800 call FBI. Call state and local law enforcement and call us because we will bring in our entire cyber capabilities, deploy our cyber teams to the field, and make sure we patch up the intrusion and exploit the bad actors, and most importantly, secure the data.”

Director Kash Patel, FBI, via MSN

Political Alignments in Wisconsin’s 3rd District

The event highlighted the political alignments binding the Trump administration to the incumbent Republican lawmaker. Both men share a history of partisan loyalty that has drawn scrutiny from opponents. Van Orden attended the January 6, 2021, rally in Washington, while Patel previously compiled an “enemies list” of those who opposed President Trump.

During Monday’s gathering, Patel praised the congressman as one of the best congressmen in the United States, while Van Orden returned the sentiment by calling Patel the finest director that the FBI has ever seen. When questioned directly about the electoral contest, Patel demurred on endorsing specific races while praising Van Orden’s relentless support of law enforcement.

The race to unseat Van Orden is drawing national attention and financial backing. Rebecca Cooke, an Eau Claire Democrat who came within three percentage points of defeating Van Orden in 2024, is running again. Cooke faces Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge in the upcoming August 11 primary. House Democrats’ campaign arm has already endorsed Cooke, funneling funding, staff, and training into the district as campaign finance disclosures show Cooke raising more money than the incumbent across the last three reporting periods.