SEATTLE — Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has successfully secured reelection in the highly scrutinized 3rd Congressional District of southwestern Washington on Saturday, overcoming a challenge from Republican Joe Kent in a rematch.
Gluesenkamp Perez, who operates an auto-repair business alongside her husband, burst onto the political scene two years prior by winning the seat that had been held by Republicans for over a decade. In that tightly contested race, she edged out Kent—who was endorsed by Donald Trump—by a margin of fewer than 3,000 votes, amid nearly 320,000 votes cast, making it one of the most competitive contests in the nation and setting the stage for a difficult reelection campaign.
Her predecessor, Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican who served six terms, failed to carry on after voting for the impeachment of Trump following the January 6 insurrection. The district had narrowly backed Trump in 2020, which made it a strategic focus for both political parties in this election cycle.
The race drew heightened attention recently due to an incident involving arson at a ballot drop box in Vancouver, the largest city in the district, which severely damaged hundreds of ballots. Voters who used that particular drop box were encouraged to reach out to the county’s auditor’s office for replacement ballots.
During her time in office, Gluesenkamp Perez has combined progressive ideals with initiatives appealing to Republican voters, such as advocating for stronger U.S.-Mexico border security—critiquing Biden for insufficient efforts—and proposing a constitutional amendment mandating presidential budget balance.
She is a firm supporter of abortion rights and has criticized Kent, who initially indicated support for a national abortion ban but later shifted his stance to advocate for state-level control over abortion laws following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
While Gluesenkamp Perez endorses measures aimed at combating climate change, she openly identifies as a gun owner. One of her primary goals is to promote a “right to repair” bill aimed at allowing individuals to fix their equipment without incurring excessive costs from manufacturers.
Kent, a former Green Beret, has been vocal about impeaching President Joe Biden and emphasized concerns around inflation and illegal immigration as his main priorities.
The candidates also diverged on a critical local topic: the planned replacement of a significant bridge spanning the Columbia River, which connects Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. Gluesenkamp Perez supports replacing the current bridge, while Kent contends that a new bridge should be constructed while the existing one remains operational.