John Braun Enters Race for U.S. House Seat in Washington

Washington state Senator John Braun has declared his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. House seat in southwestern Washington. The seat is currently held by Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Braun, the Republican minority leader in the Democrat-controlled state Senate, enters the race in a conservative-leaning district that supported Donald Trump in the last presidential election.

Braun, who is also the president of a family-owned emergency vehicle manufacturing company and a 31-year Navy veteran, highlighted his commitment to securing borders and bolstering national defense in his campaign statement. He expressed eagerness to collaborate with former President Trump on a positive agenda for the nation.

Meanwhile, Gluesenkamp Perez, who successfully flipped the district in 2022, focuses on reducing political polarization. Despite criticism from some district progressives, her pragmatic approach may appeal to independents and moderate Republicans. Other candidates in the race include Democrat Brent Hennrich and Republican Antony Barran.

(With inputs from agencies.)