WASHINGTON — Partisan tension and buzzer-beater odds have rocketed Washington’s 3rd congressional district race to the national stage.
Here is everything you need to know about who is on the ballot, and why analysts say this could play a pivotal role in deciding which party controls the House.
Splitting the ticket
The district has shown a willingness to cross party lines. It backed Donald Trump in 2016 before swinging away from him in 2020. Voters elected Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to Congress in 2022 and re-elected her in 2024, even as they backed Trump for president. Gluesenkamp Perez is now seeking another term against Republican John Braun, who has Trump’s endorsement.
This tension has analysts placing the district in the clinch between a Democratic- or Republican-controlled House for the remainder of President Trump’s term.
Both party committees have designated the race as a top priority, collectively pouring over $20 million into the candidates’ campaigns according to data from the Federal Election Commission.
At the center of this spotlight are the two candidates vying to represent it: Democratic incumbent Maria Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger John Braun.
Maria Gluesenkamp Perez
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has represented Washington’s 3rd Congressional District since 2023. According to her congressional voting record, she has opposed the war in Iran in six separate votes and has periodically voted against most House Democrats on legislation involving immigration enforcement, voter-registration citizenship requirements and Department of Homeland Security funding.
Gluesenkamp Perez serves on the House Appropriations Committee and previously served on the Agriculture and Small Business committees. Her legislative record includes sponsoring measures concerning right-to-repair policies and access to lower-cost generic drugs, among other issues.
She earned a degree in economics from Reed College. Her campaign lists priorities including reproductive rights, border and community security, right-to-repair legislation, working families, inflation, and climate change
According to her campaign website, Gluesenkamp Perez lives in rural Skamania County with her husband, Dean, and their young son. The couple operates an independent auto repair shop.
To learn more about her campaign, visit her website.
Click here to read her full voting record from the House.
John Braun
The challenger, John Braun has represented Washington’s 20th Legislative District in the state Senate since 2013. As Senate Republican Leader, Braun has sponsored legislation addressing issues including higher education and advanced nuclear energy. He also serves on committees covering rules, budget, labor and commerce, and energy.
Braun earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington and two master’s degrees from the University of Michigan. According to his campaign website, Braun’s congressional priorities include border security, spending, cost of living, education, crime and homelessness, salmon recovery, and energy.
Braun is a retired Navy captain and president of Braun Northwest, an emergency vehicle manufacturer in Chehalis. According to his campaign website, Braun lives with his wife, Marlo, on a small farm in rural Lewis County. The couple has four adult children.
To learn more about Braun’s campaign, visit his website.
Click here to see Braun’s full voting record in the Washington State Legislature.
Gluesenkamp Perez , and Braun come to the race from similar backgrounds in some respects, with both pointing to experience running businesses and living in rural Southwest Washington. Their records also touch on some of the same issues, including energy, workforce concerns and the cost of living, but the propose different solutions. Braun, for example, has sponsored legislation that would incorporate advanced nuclear power into Washington’s state energy strategy. Gluesenkamp Perez, meanwhile, has worked on issues ranging from rural health care to federal spending decisions.
Both candidates have made salmon recovery and protecting Washington’s natural resources part of their platforms.
Reproductive rights present a clearer dividing point in their records. Gluesenkamp Perez has backed federal protections for access to reproductive care, including legislation addressing access to abortion medication and telehealth prescriptions.
READ MORE: For information on voter registration and any other election-related questions, visit kiro7.com/elections.