Republican state Sen. John Braun launches bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez

Republican John Braun, minority leader of the Washington state Senate, formally announced Tuesday that he’s running for Congress in 2026.

The state lawmaker is looking to oust U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a second-term Washington Democrat whose district includes Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties, plus some of Thurston County. Gluesenkamp Perez has held the 3rd Congressional District seat in southwest Washington since 2023.

It should prove a race to watch. 

Gluesenkamp Perez earned 51.7% of the vote in last November’s election while her Republican opponent, Joe Kent, took home 47.9% — although her popularity has reportedly dipped in recent months. 

Braun, a Centralia Republican, was elected to the state’s upper chamber in 2012, serving southwest Washington in the 20th Legislative District. A biography on the Senate Republicans’ website notes that he was the chief budget writer and negotiator when he helmed the Senate budget committee in 2017, sponsoring the 2017-19 state operating budget. 

An Aug. 12 news release from Braun’s congressional campaign says that in 2020, his peers picked him to serve as leader of the Senate Republicans.

“I know how to fight bad policy — and how to craft good policy that makes a difference for people here in Southwest Washington,” Braun said in the release. “I look forward to working with President Trump on a positive agenda that gets America back on the right track.”

Throughout the 2025 legislative session, Braun was a leading voice in resisting the Democratic majority’s push to pass billions of dollars in new taxes.

He has also recently criticized Democrats over their reaction to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the controversial new tax and policy law endorsed by President Donald Trump, as being overblown.

The Republican lawmaker has worked to reform property taxes in Washington and invest in the public education system, his bio states. He serves as president of Braun Northwest, a family-owned firm that manufactures emergency vehicles.

Braun is a U.S. Navy veteran who earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington. He also holds masters from the University of Michigan in business administration and manufacturing engineering.

“Whether in the Navy, running a small business, or serving in the state legislature, I’ve always focused on solving tough problems, clearing roadblocks, and helping others succeed,” Braun said in the release announcing his campaign. “In Congress, I’ll bring that same approach — working to lower costs for families, support American manufacturing, and expand opportunities for family-wage jobs here at home.”

Braun’s campaign is touting endorsements from U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, a Spokane Republican, and Lynda Wilson, the former Clark County state senator who also previously chaired that county’s Republican Party.

“I know John Braun well from our time working together in the state Senate,” Baumgartner said, according to the release. “He is a highly intelligent, strong conservative who would make an outstanding member of Congress. I’m proud to endorse him.”

Wilson lauded Braun as a “man of unwavering honesty and integrity.”

“He understands the unique character of Southwest Washington and the values we hold dear,” she said in the release. “I trust him to fight for us and lead with principle. He has my full and enthusiastic endorsement.”

Democrats respond to Braun’s campaign

Democrats have come out swinging against Braun.

Lindsay Reilly, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, blasted the Republican lawmaker as a status quo-loving “swamp creature” in a Tuesday news release.

Tim Gowen, manager for Gluesenkamp Perez’s congressional campaign, didn’t hold back either. He argued in a statement that Braun has accepted significant campaign contributions from corporations and Big Pharma “while voting to harm families and small businesses.” 

“It’s no surprise that the D.C. swamp has recruited him to run for Congress,” Gowen continued. “They know they can count on him to maintain business as usual which is saddling future generations with enormous debt and giving even more handouts to special interests. He will continue the policies that are hollowing out our communities like driving down wages, bankrupting our hospitals, and increasing the cost of living.”

The statement highlighted Gluesenkamp Perez’s work to restrict government overreach and boost the state’s timber economy. Gowen further argued that the Congress member has sought to improve infrastructure and make it easier to build housing, raise a family on a single income and start a small business.

Shasti Conrad, chair of the Washington State Democratic Party, warned in a statement that Braun would be “a disastrous choice” for Congress. She said he’s voted against housing affordability, union workers and a clean environment while backing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to prompt millions of Americans to lose their health coverage. 

“Southwest Washington voters won’t be duped into supporting a candidate who would put the interests of his big-pocketed donors over the needs of families who are struggling to afford basic necessities,” Conrad continued.

Who else is running for 3rd Congressional District?

Other candidates have already thrown their hats into the ring for Gluesenkamp Perez’s spot, per Ballotpedia: Democrat Brent Hennrich, Republican Antony Barran, and Eric Vaughan, who’s running as an independent. 

State Rep. Jim Walsh of Aberdeen, who chairs Washington’s Republican Party, has also looked at entering the race, the Washington State Standard reported last month.

The general election for U.S. House Washington District 3 will take place in 2026.

This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 9:21 AM.

Simone Carter

The Olympian

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