In the top two primaries for Washington state’s 3rd Congressional District, two main contenders have emerged: incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican John Braun, the minority leader in the state senate. Preliminary results show both candidates at nearly 39% of the vote, and the Associated Press has already called their primary races for them. Washington uses a “top-2” system: there are no separate party primaries. Instead, all candidates run in a single pool, and only the two who receive the most votes advance to the November ballot. Because both Perez and Braun finished first and second, both are technically winners of the primary—and now voters must make the final choice between them.
The race is shaping up to be one of the most intense in the country. National Democrats are hoping to take control of the House from Republicans, while Republicans see Braun as one of their best bets to flip the seat. The Cook Political Report rates the 3rd District as one of just 18 “swing” districts in the U.S. with no clear favorite. It is already clear that millions of dollars from outside groups are likely to flood into the campaign in the coming months.
Gluesenkamp Perez said the results show voters are tired of partisan infighting and want attention to working-class concerns. She immediately went on the offensive against Braun, calling him a Donald Trump figure. “Brown sold his reputation for Trump’s support and will work for Trump,” she said, adding that voting for the president is not the same as wanting to ride along with him. In response, Braun said most voters “rejected the incumbent congresswoman” and promised to work with anyone, if it helps the southwestern Washington region.
Political scientists say the primary results send both good and troubling signals for Gluesenkamp Perez. On the one hand, left-leaning Democrat Brent Hennrich’s 15% shows dissatisfaction within her progressive wing with her more moderate positions. On the other hand, Democrats combined to win about 54% of the vote, and some of Hennrich’s voters in November will likely back Perez, said political science professor Ben Gaskins.
It is also notable that the situation differs from 2024, when Gluesenkamp Perez led the primary comfortably with 47% and Republican Joe Kent won 38%. At the time, Republicans together captured roughly half the vote, yet Perez still won in November. Now Braun—an established political figure—still cannot reach 40%, even as Democratic votes were divided. According to Gaskins, that is not the best sign for Republicans.
The 3rd District is a true “swing” seat. In the west, it borders the Pacific Ocean; in the south, it borders Oregon. It includes both rural areas and suburbs. It is called “swing” not because of presidential elections, but because of Congressional elections—where results can shift between parties, even though Trump has won here, and by a small margin. In local races, voters are more likely to focus on individual candidates rather than the party label. Vancouver—Portland’s suburb across the Columbia River—plays a particularly important role. Its more moderate residents can mark a Republican on their presidential ballot in the same election, while choosing a more moderate Democrat or an independent candidate for Congress. That helps keep the district competitive, despite a “red” presidential result.
Over the three years she has been in Congress, Gluesenkamp Perez has become a prominent figure on the national stage. She appears frequently on television, votes against her party’s line, and does not hesitate to criticize Democrats for being disconnected from the working class. This year, she backed funding for the Department of Homeland Security despite opposition from her fellow party members. She also voted for a $1.15 trillion defense budget, saying it serves the interests of the military and domestic production.
At the same time, she remains pro-access to abortion and openly argues for comprehensive reproductive health support. But her signature issue has been a right to repair. As the owner of an auto repair shop, Perez is pushing to ensure that car and electronics manufacturers provide independent repair shops and everyday owners access to parts, tools, diagnostic software, and technical documentation—not just through their authorized dealers. Modern vehicles are “computers on wheels,” and if a manufacturer hides diagnostics or restricts access to parts, small repair shops cannot operate. For Washington, this issue is especially important because of the proximity to technology corporations and the state’s push toward open access to data. According to federal filings, Perez has raised nearly $6.5 million for her campaign.
John Braun is a very different kind of figure than his predecessor, the Republican lawmaker. He has worked in the state legislature for more than a decade and represents one of the most reliable Republican districts. As minority leader in the state senate, he is known for fiscal conservatism: he opposes new taxes and takes an active role in shaping the state budget. That message lands especially sharply in Washington, where there is no state income tax on individuals. The budget is funded mostly through sales tax, business taxes, and property taxes. Such a system is sensitive to the state of the economy and places the burden first and foremost on consumers, so every conversation about money quickly becomes an argument about who is effectively being asked to pay—buyers, businesses, or whether the state should introduce new, unfamiliar taxes such as a capital gains tax. In this context, budget conservatism is not an abstract idea but a specific stance on how Washington’s entire tax system works.
Braun is a Navy veteran and president of a company that manufactures equipment for emergency services. In his campaign, he emphasizes cutting costs, protecting borders, and growing manufacturing. In April, he received support from Donald Trump. Unlike Joe Kent—whose campaigns were mired in conspiracy theories and false claims about the 2020 election—Braun appears more moderate and could appeal to a broader range of voters. He also brings years of legislative experience and established political ties that Perez’s previous opponents did not have. Still, he has less money so far—about $2 million. But as long-time pollster Stewart Elway, an independent sociologist based in Seattle and founder of Elway Research, puts it, voters should expect another very close race: “That’s been the case in the last three or four elections.” His polls are not commissioned by candidates or parties and rely on long-term measurements of voter sentiment, so his numbers are treated as an objective benchmark for analyzing elections in Washington.
Based on: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, John Braun advancing in Washington’s 3rd District