Johnathan Walker:Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez wins reelection in Washington’s closely watched 3rd District

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SEATTLE (AP) — First-term Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez won reelection Saturday in southwestern Washington state’s closely watched 3rd Congressional District, surviving a rematch with Republican Joe Kent.

Two years ago, Gluesenkamp Perez, who owns an auto-repair shop with her husband, came out of nowhere to win the seat, which hadn’t been in Democratic hands for over a decade. She beat the Trump-endorsed Kent by fewer than 3,000 votes out of nearly 320,000 cast, making it one of the closest races in the country and setting the stage for a tough election fight this year.

Her predecessor, Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler, held office for six terms but failed to survive the 2022 primary after voting to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. The district narrowly went for Trump in 2020, making it a crucial target for both parties this year.

The race gained additional attention last week when an arson attack struck a ballot box in Vancouver — the district’s biggest city — scorching hundreds of ballots. People who cast their votes in that box were urged to contact the county auditor’s office to receive replacement ballots.

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Gluesenkamp Perez has balanced progressive policies with some measures popular with Republicans during her tenure, including securing the U.S.-Mexico border — something she criticizes Biden for failing to do — and introducing a constitutional amendment to force presidents to balance the budget.

She supports abortion access and has hammered Kent, who previously has said he supported a national abortion ban, for changing his position after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Kent now says abortion laws should be left up to the states.

Gluesenkamp Perez supports policies to counter climate change, but also speaks openly about being a gun owner. A top priority is pushing a “right to repair” bill that would help people get equipment fixed without having to pay exorbitant prices to the original manufacturer.

Kent, a former Green Beret who has called for the impeachment of President Joe Biden, cited inflation and illegal immigration as top concerns.

The two disagreed on a major local issue: the replacement of a major bridge across the Columbia River between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. Gluesenkamp Perez supports plans to replace the existing bridge; Kent argued that a separate new bridge should be built while the old one is maintained.