Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez edges John Braun by 263 votes in WA-3 primary
Aug 4, 2026, 9:20 PM
From left, headshots of Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez and John Braun. (Photos courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives, Washington State Legislature)
(Photos courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives, Washington State Legislature)
Democrat incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez and Republican challenger John Braun will face off for Washington’s District 3 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives following results from the 2026 primary election.
With just less than 60% of the votes accounted for, Pérez clinched 54,132 votes (38.9%), 263 more votes than Braun (38.7%). The Associated Press called the race at 8:17 p.m. Tuesday.
With nine candidates on the ballot for District 3, the top two vote-getters of any party advance to the November election, as per Washington’s open primary system.
Progressive Democrat Brent Hennrich finished third with 15.3% of the vote.
“The results are in and I’m humbled by the show of support across our district, and profoundly encouraged by the values voters are demanding: loyalty to our district, rejecting unthinking partisanship, practical solutions that build more power for working Americans, and skepticism of Big Business and Big Government,” Pérez wrote in a statement. “Thank you to the people of Southwest Washington who have fought for these values for generations, and for the voters tonight who see those values in me.”
Pérez, originally from Texas, was a business owner for nearly a decade before entering politics. She defeated Joe Kent, who later became the director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center for the Trump administration for six months, to win the District 3 seat in 2022 and 2024.
Earlier this year, Pérez’s district suffered a devastating tragedy when 11 employees of a paper mill in Cowlitz County were killed in an implosion. Investigators said the incident happened when a vessel containing “white liquor,” a highly corrosive chemical used in the paper-making process, reportedly imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview.
In response, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez is calling on the owners of the Nippon Dynawave mill in Longview to provide a written guarantee that workers will continue receiving pay and benefits following the deadliest industrial accident in Washington state history.
In a letter sent to the company, Gluesenkamp Pérez said she was concerned Nippon Dynawave may be backing away from an earlier commitment to continue paying employees during the investigation into the May 26 implosion that killed 11 workers.
Braun, a Navy veteran and Washington state senator, earned Donald Trump’s endorsement earlier this year. He was first elected to the Washington State Senate in 2012, representing Southwest Washington’s 20th Legislative District. Since 2020, Braun has served as the Washington State Senate Minority Leader.
“I’m extremely proud of the team we have across Southwest Washington,” Braun stated before polls closed Tuesday. “Whether you’ve volunteered, contributed, shared our message, or helped in other ways, you’ve played a critical role in building this campaign.”
Additionally, Braun is president of Braun Northwest, a family-owned company that constructs emergency vehicles. He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington (UW).
Democrats have an 8-2 advantage for Washington’s U.S. House seats. Many outlets and political pundits have described District 3 as the only competitive House seat within the state in November. The 263-vote gap between Pérez and Braun in the primary seems to confirm that belief.
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