If there is any chance for Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to represent Southwest Washington in Congress, it all depends on her ability to gather strong Republican support.
By comparison, his running mate, Joe Kent, R-Yacolt, checks several boxes that appeal to conservative voters — he served as a Green Beret, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and he promised to undo Democratic policies.
Kent branded his campaign “America First,” a signature attached to nationalist movements that widely advocated for the nation’s energy independence, securing the southern border and ending government regulations.
In contrast, Perez, an auto shop owner who lives in rural Skamania County, has used his platform to advocate for boosting the region’s trade workforce, finding pragmatic solutions to address climate change. and protecting a person’s access to abortion. As a rural Democrat, his positions deviated from the state or national party, such as not supporting an assault rifle ban and, instead, advocating raising the age to purchase guns to 21 years.
Yet Washington’s 3rd Congressional District has a long history of favoring Republican leadership.
At the congressional level, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, has held his position since 2011 and has consistently defeated Democratic challengers in his reelection races. So is higher on the ballot. Most of the district voted for Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections; in 2012, the region favored Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney over Barack Obama.
