State Senate Minority Leader John Braun announces bid for Congress
State Sen. John Braun will challenge Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, of Skamania, to represent Washington's 3rd Congressional District. Braun enters the race with the backing of Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner, Braun's former colleague in the state Legislature.
Braun, who has served in Olympia since 2013, was selected as Senate minority leader in 2020. Braun is a U.S. Navy veteran and president of Braun Northwest, a family-owned manufacturer of emergency vehicles based in Lewis County.
"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 a statement Tuesday. "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."
In his announcement, Braun cited his 31 years of service in the U.S. Navy, which included serving as the director of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Reserve Component.
"Members of Congress take an oath to defend our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I take that oath seriously. I'll work to secure our borders and maintain a strong national defense — because peace is best preserved through strength," Braun said in a statement.
Braun represents the 20th Legislative District, which includes Lewis County and parts of Thurston, Cowlitz and Clark counties.
Braun's announcement Tuesday gives Republicans a high-profile candidate in a district that is one of their top targets in the 2026 midterms.
Gluesenkamp Perez was a political newcomer when she won the seat in 2022 by 2,629 votes over Republican nominee Joe Kent, and subsequently defeated Kent again in her 2024 re-election bid. Kent has since been confirmed as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center in the Trump administration.
While in Congress, Gluesenkamp Perez has repeatedly earned national headlines for her success in a red-leaning district, particularly with Republicans finding success on the top of the ticket. Despite Gluesenkamp Perez's re-election, the district has continued to lean Republican, with voters supporting Donald Trump in each of his three presidential campaigns.
Following the announcement, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Lindsay Reilly said that Braun "has proven time and again that he's out for himself and his donor friends.
"Voters know Braun is nothing more than a suit in Olympia who works for special interests like Big Pharma, not for working people," Reilly said. "He's a swamp creature who will be more of the same in D.C., championing the status quo that's left too many Southwest Washington families behind."
Before Gluesenkamp Perez, the district was represented for 12 years by Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler.
The Cook Political Report rates the district as one of 18 "toss-up districts" in the country, which they classify as those where "either party has a good chance of winning."
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