Van Orden leads in Wisconsin House race sought as GOP flip

By TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican Derrick Van Orden was leading the race for a western Wisconsin congressional seat early Wednesday, hoping to win a spot in the House less than two years after he was seen near the U.S. Capitol on the day insurrectionists breached the building. Unofficial results showed Van Orden leading Democrat Brad Pfaff by four percentage points with 75% of the vote counted. Van Orden is among a handful of people who were in Washington the day of the Jan. 6 insurrection and are now running for Congress. The former Navy SEAL has denied taking any part, but Democrat Brad Pfaff argued to voters that his presence should be disqualifying. The seat is open after longtime Democratic Rep. Ron Kind chose to retire.