Marie Gluesenkamp Perez: In a hard-fought battle for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has emerged victorious, with The Oregonian and The Columbian declaring her the winner following the latest vote tally. Despite a strong challenge from Republican Joe Kent, Gluesenkamp Perez held a steady lead of about 11,000 votes, maintaining 51% of the vote as of Thursday evening.

Gluesenkamp Perez’s win is a crucial victory for Democrats in the Pacific Northwest, particularly as the U.S. House of Representatives inches closer to a Republican majority. Her victory is a testament to her ability to connect with voters in a district that has increasingly leaned Republican, having voted for Donald Trump in recent years.

“I’m deeply humbled by the confidence of southwest Washington,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in her victory statement. “This is a victory for our community, and I’ll continue working to represent every corner of our district, no matter the political divide.”

Gluesenkamp Perez’s strong showing in the race comes despite early predictions from national pundits who expected her to lose. Instead, her strategy of focusing on local economic issues, bipartisanship, and community-driven efforts paid off. Throughout her campaign, she emphasized practical solutions to everyday concerns, such as inflation, working-class issues, and local economic growth, instead of getting drawn into national partisan conflicts.

The race had remained close since Election Night, with vote counts trickling in from Clark County, where Gluesenkamp Perez enjoyed significant support. Kent, backed by Trump, ran on national Republican themes like securing the southern border and addressing inflation, but Gluesenkamp Perez’s focus on local issues resonated with the district’s diverse electorate.

In her statement, Gluesenkamp Perez also reflected on her journey, acknowledging the challenges she faced in her first term. “I’ve always worked to represent the people of southwest Washington, and that’s exactly what I’ll continue doing in Congress.”

The victory marks another chapter in the political career of Gluesenkamp Perez, who first flipped the district in 2022, unseating longtime Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler. Now, with a second-term victory, she is poised to continue her efforts to bridge the political divide in Washington, D.C.

As Republicans and Democrats continue to battle for control of the U.S. House, Gluesenkamp Perez’s re-election in Washington’s 3rd District is seen as a significant win for the Democratic Party in a region that has been increasingly competitive in recent years.