Trump-Backed Braun Advances in Washington’s Toss-Up WA-03
Trump celebrates state Sen. John Braun's primary advance in Washington's 3rd District, setting up a November clash with Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in one of the House's 18 toss-up races.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump declared victory for his endorsed candidate in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, cheering state Sen. John Braun’s advance out of a top-two primary.
Braun, the Washington Senate Republican leader since 2020 and a Navy veteran who runs a family-owned emergency-vehicle manufacturer, moved into the November general election alongside the incumbent, according to opb.org. The Associated Press called the race shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, with Braun holding 38.7% and Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez at 38.9% in early returns, according to opb.org.
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR WA-03 JOHN BRAUN WINS! ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP! TRUMP VANCE MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” on August 5, 2026 at 12:05 AM ET.
This is Trump’s first message released today, and the last post was one hour ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 18 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 111 of his 459 posts over the last 30 days classified as Elections posts.
Under Washington’s system, the two candidates who draw the most votes advance regardless of party. The framing as a nominee overstates the stage. Braun did not clinch a seat, and Gluesenkamp Perez led him narrowly on primary night, according to opb.org. Trump endorsed Braun in April, according to opb.org.
The seat carries outsized stakes for control of the House. Democrats want the district to gain a chamber of Congress, while Republicans need it to defend a razor-thin majority, according to opb.org. The Cook Political Report ranks WA-03 among just 18 toss-up races in the 435-member House, one signal that a single southwestern Washington district could tip the balance nationally.
President Donald J. Trump posted a message on Truth Social at Washington D.C.
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Braun consolidated a Republican coalition and closed much of the money gap. He reported $2 million in total receipts, including $1.5 million from individual donors, and picked up backing from House Speaker Mike Johnson, according to legis1.com. Gluesenkamp Perez raised $6.3 million this cycle and held about $2 million in cash on hand, backed by more than 20 political action committees, according to legis1.com.
For voters in southwestern Washington, the outcome decides who represents them for the next two years. Gluesenkamp Perez has built her brand on distancing herself from national politics, an approach that has held in a district Trump keeps carrying at the presidential level, according to legis1.com.
This has happened before in WA-03. Gluesenkamp Perez won the seat in 2022 by 2,629 votes over Republican Joe Kent, 50.1% to 49.3%, then beat him again in 2024 by 51.9% to 48.1%, according to legis1.com. Kent has since left electoral politics to lead the National Counterterrorism Center, clearing the path for Braun, according to legis1.com.
The next decision rests with voters in the general election on November 3, 2026. Inside Elections upgraded the district from Tilt Democratic to Toss-up in May 2026, citing eroding support for the incumbent within her party, according to legis1.com.
The district has swung between the parties before this contest. Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler held the seat from 2011 to 2023, then lost her primary in 2022 after voting to impeach Trump, according to legis1.com. Her exit opened the door for Gluesenkamp Perez, an auto-repair shop owner who flipped one of the year’s most surprising results. That win showed how a redrawn Republican-leaning district can still resist the national tide.
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