Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has built a comfortable lead over Republican state Sen. John Braun in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, with initial returns Tuesday showing her at 55% to Braun's 44%, putting her on track for a third term as her party secured the House majority.
Gluesenkamp Perez led Braun by a margin of 55% to 44.1% after returns from the district's largest counties were counted, with only Wahkiakum County yet to report as of Tuesday night. She said in a statement: “It’s clear we’re going to win this race. Thank you to everybody who knocked on doors in wet socks, who made the calls, wrote the postcards, and had the difficult conversations with their neighbors.”
The race in southwest Washington's 3rd District was one of 18 toss-up House seats nationwide and drew national attention as a battleground for control of the chamber. The district, which includes Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum and Skamania counties and part of Thurston County, has historically leaned Republican, President Donald Trump won it in all three of his presidential runs. Gluesenkamp Perez, co-owner of an auto repair shop, first flipped the seat in 2022, defeating Republican Joe Kent, and beat him again in a 2024 rematch.
Braun, a state senator from Centralia and Navy veteran, ran as a pro-business, anti-tax social conservative. House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned with him three times. In a Tuesday evening interview ahead of initial results, Braun told The Center Square he was optimistic. “I don't really think Democratic trends across the country affect our district all that much. It's a very independent district. I think we're going to stand alone there. I still think it's going to be very close, but I am optimistic,” he said.
Just after first returns came out, Washington GOP Chair Jim Walsh said he was holding out hope Braun could still pull out a win and suggested it may take several days to declare a winner. “It’s not going to be decided tonight,” Walsh told The Center Square. “It’s on track for what we were expecting. There’s not really a blue wave here in Washington.” Washington Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad said she was thrilled. “We were nervous about that. It’s always been our closest Congressional district in the state, and it was statistically tied in the polls. I’m thrilled that we’ve held onto that seat,” Conrad said.
Gluesenkamp Perez, a co-chair of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, has positioned herself as a moderate willing to work across party lines, at times frustrating progressive Democrats. In the August primary, progressive Brett Hennrich ran to her left and garnered 16.7% of the vote, later saying he would not vote for her. Tuesday's results suggested many of those voters cast their ballots for her regardless.
Braun is president of Braun Northwest, a family company that builds emergency vehicles. He tried to cast Gluesenkamp Perez as an ineffective legislator who passed only one bill in four years. She sought to tie him to Trump's agenda, including the president's tax-and-spending bill and the war in Iran, and in the final weeks targeted the safety record of his business and his relationship with the family of a man killed in a workplace accident.
Combined spending by the candidates, party operations and independent committees exceeded $30 million. Gluesenkamp Perez had spent nearly $9.3 million to Braun's $2.6 million as of mid-October, while outside groups poured millions more into opposing each candidate. “They wanted this seat back. They thought they could buy it, but they don’t understand how we work here,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “This seat is not for sale.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The outcome helps determine which party controls the U.S. House; Democrats have now secured the majority.
- Gluesenkamp Perez's win in a Republican-leaning district signals that moderate candidates can hold swing seats even as national trends favor the other party.
- The heavy outside spending, over $18 million from GOP-aligned groups alone, underscores the district's status as a top national battleground.
Background
Washington's 3rd Congressional District, covering six counties in southwest Washington, has historically elected Republicans but flipped in 2022 when Gluesenkamp Perez beat Trump-backed Joe Kent. She defeated Kent again in 2024. The district voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024. This year's race was one of only a handful of truly competitive House seats nationwide.
Key Perspectives
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez: says her win proves the seat is not for sale and thanks grassroots volunteers.
John Braun: expressed optimism before returns came in, arguing local dynamics would overcome national Democratic trends.
Washington GOP Chair Jim Walsh: said the race would take days to decide and downplayed a Democratic wave.
Washington Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad: said she was thrilled the party held the seat after polling showed a statistical tie.
What to Watch
- Final vote totals as remaining ballots, including from Wahkiakum County, are counted.
- Whether Braun concedes or calls for a recount if the margin narrows.
- How Gluesenkamp Perez's victory shapes Democratic strategy for 2028 in similar swing districts.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedGluesenkamp Perez held a comfortable lead over Braun in Washington’s 3rd District, 55% to 44.1%.Washington State Standard: “Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez enjoyed a comfortable lead over Republican state Sen. John Braun on Tuesday, as she pursues a third term and her party seeks the House majority. Gluesenkamp Perez led Braun by a margin of 55% to 44.1%”
- SupportedGluesenkamp Perez’s party secured the House majority nationwide.Washington State Standard: “Her performance comes amid a cascade of Democrat wins nationwide that secured the House majority for her party heading into next year.”
- SupportedRepublican Amanda McKinney was leading the open 4th District race with 54.1% of votes counted Tuesday.Washington State Standard: “Meanwhile, Republican Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney was handily beating Democrat John Duresky in central Washington’s 4th Congressional District. McKinney garnered 54.1% of votes counted Tuesday and appeared on her way to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside.”
- SupportedGluesenkamp Perez said, “It’s clear we’re going to win this race.”Washington State Standard: ““It’s clear we’re going to win this race,” she said in a statement.”
- SupportedGluesenkamp Perez received 61% of the vote in Clark County.Washington State Standard: “Gluesenkamp Perez garnered 61% of votes cast in Clark County, which is home to the largest bloc of Democratic voters.”
- SupportedGluesenkamp Perez led in Skamania and Pacific counties, while Braun led in the other four counties.Washington State Standard: “She also led in Skamania and Pacific counties. Braun was leading in the other four counties.”
- SupportedBrett Hennrich received 16.7% of the vote in the August primary.Washington State Standard: “Some of that frustration emerged in the August primary when Brett Hennrich, a more progressive Democrat, ran to her left and garnered 16.7% of the vote.”
- SupportedHennrich later said he would not vote for Gluesenkamp Perez on Tuesday.Washington State Standard: “He later said he wouldn’t vote for the congresswoman on Tuesday.”
- SupportedGluesenkamp Perez said, “They wanted this seat back. They thought they could buy it, but they don’t understand how we work here. This seat is not for sale. Everyday people doing the quiet, necessary work to build community: that’s how we push back against powerful people who think a seat in Congress is something you can buy.”Washington State Standard: ““They wanted this seat back. They thought they could buy it, but they don’t understand how we work here,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “This seat is not for sale. Everyday people doing the quiet, necessary work to build community: that’s how we push back against powerful people who think a seat in Congress is something you can buy.””
- SupportedCombined spending by the candidates, party campaign operations and independent political committees exceeded $30 million.Washington State Standard: “Collective spending by the candidates, their party’s campaign operations and independent political committees eclipsed $30 million.”
- SupportedAs of mid-October, Gluesenkamp Perez had spent nearly $9.3 million and Braun had spent $2.6 million, according to FEC filings.Washington State Standard: “Gluesenkamp Perez had spent nearly $9.3 million to Braun’s $2.6 million as of mid-October, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission .”
- SupportedThe Congressional Leadership Fund and No Going Back had together spent more than $10 million opposing Gluesenkamp Perez entering the final weeks.Washington State Standard: “The Congressional Leadership Fund , a super PAC dedicated exclusively to electing Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives, and No Going Back, a political action committee aligned with Trump’s MAGA Inc., had combined to spend in excess of $10 million million opposing the incumbent entering the last weeks of the campaign.”