Republican state Sen. John Braun (left) and incumbent Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (right) pictured in a screenshot from live video of an Oct. 7, 2026, debate on KOIN. The candidates are vying for Washington's battleground 3rd Congressional District.
Screenshot from KOIN video
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican state Sen. John Braun began their first debate in the race for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District by uncapping markers.
The moderator asked them to write down estimates of the average price of a gallon of gas.
Gluesenkamp Perez guessed high, $6.40, while Braun was on the lower end of Washington gas prices, $5, both attempting to show they’re attuned to a cost that’s become a primary concern for many voters in a House district that could determine which party controls Congress next year.
The exercise transitioned into a question about the war in Iran.
“This is a hard problem. We should acknowledge that,” Braun said in response to a question about whether the war should continue. “We want a good solution, but we cannot extend this war without a clear ending point, and we don’t have that right now.”
Gluesenkamp Perez took a stronger stance.
“I have voted against the president’s war six times,” she said. “There’s no point of murkiness or complication. This war has been a disaster for our families at home, for our military families, for our geopolitical security.”
The Oct. 7 debate hosted by KOIN marked the first public head-to-head between candidates competing for one of the country’s few swing districts.
The candidates fielded questions from moderators Ken Boddie and Lisa Balick on a broad slate of topics, including healthcare, taxes, workplace safety, data centers and immigration enforcement.
Braun and Gluesenkamp Perez offered similar stances on some issues — both said they support vote-by-mail and temporarily freezing the federal gas tax, while neither supports a federal moratorium on data centers.
That didn’t stop them from relentlessly attacking each other. Braun referred to Gluesenkamp Perez derogatorily as a “D.C. politician” seven times, while Gluesenkamp Perez repeatedly argued Braun’s loyalty lies with President Donald Trump, who has endorsed the longtime state lawmaker.
The daylight between the candidates expanded when Balick asked them about their stance on the SAVE America Act, a Republican-led bill aimed at overhauling U.S. election administration rules by tightening proof-of-citizenship and photo identification requirements.
Braun said he supports the bill, while Gluesenkamp Perez — despite voting for an earlier version of the bill — stood by her decision to vote against its latest form in February.
The candidates were also asked about their positions on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
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Braun opened his answer by blaming the Biden administration’s border policy, and added that he’d like to see deportations focus mainly on those who committed crimes. He also argued that “local and state law enforcement be allowed to cooperate professionally with federal law enforcement.”
For her part, Gluesenkamp Perez emphasized the need for secure borders.
“But I also know that the reason that people come here is because we’re a country of law and order. That matters to us, and that goes for everybody,” she said. “We want to see federal law enforcement follow these same high standards.”
The next debate is scheduled for Oct. 13 on KATU.
