Local Politics · Cowlitz County
Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Faces State Sen. Braun in WA-3 Congressional Race
Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, representing Washington's 3rd Congressional District, is campaigning for reelection against Republican John Braun, a state Senate leader and president of manufacturer Braun Northwest along Interstate 5. The district spans rural Southwest Washington communities including Chehalis and Battle Ground, as well as the northern Portland metro area, and voted for Trump in every presidential cycle while electing Perez twice. Perez has drawn attention for breaking with Democratic leadership on issues including student debt relief, immigration legislation, and procedural votes, positioning herself as a moderate representing blue-collar and rural interests. Braun, 59, is a retired Navy captain who replaced former nominee Joe Kent as the Republican candidate, and he criticized Perez for focusing on what he called "marginal issues" rather than genuinely independent governance.