In one of the country's most competitive districts, a Democrat tries to keep her seat
The fight for which party will control Congress is zoning in on one competitive district in southwest Washington state.
asserted
party → try → state
It prides itself on its political independence.
asserted
It → pride → independence
President Trump won this congressional district three times.
asserted
Trump → win → district
But Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez flipped the district blue in 2022.
asserted
Perez → flip → 2022
Now, the Republican nominee, state Sen. John Braun, believes he has a shot at winning it back.
asserted
he → believe → it
"A lot of districts these days are pretty predictable in terms of their politics," Braun told NPR during an interview at his small manufacturing business.
asserted
Braun → tell → business
You got to go earn those votes."
asserted
You → got → votes
The competitive race has a lot on the line, most notably potential control of the House.
asserted
race → have → House
Democrats likely need Gluesenkamp Perez to hold this seat if they want the House majority.
asserted
they → need → majority
Republicans need Braun to win if they want to keep power and help shepherd Trump's agenda across the finish line before his presidency ends.
asserted
presidency → need → line
Gluesenkamp Perez is the incumbent in an election cycle that is experiencing an anti-incumbency wave.
asserted
that → experience → wave
For Trump-endorsed Braun, the midterm elections tend to be a referendum against the party in power and Republicans have an unpopular president in charge.
asserted
Republicans → endorse → charge
The biggest struggle, though, will be appealing to the various communities throughout the district.
asserted
struggle → appeal → district
Urban Vancouver, the district's most populated city, has different needs than the rural coastal towns along the Pacific Ocean.
asserted
Vancouver → have → Ocean
"They want you and expect you to show up and represent their interests," Braun said.
asserted
Braun → want → interests
"It gives you a little bit of freedom to vote more independently.
asserted
It → give → freedom
But you also have to show up and explain your vote.
asserted
you → have → vote
"
Walking the party line
The candidates are really not that different.
asserted
candidates → walk → line
Both Gluesenkamp Perez and Braun are considered moderates within their parties, both own small businesses and both reside in rural towns.
asserted
both → consider → towns
Both are centering front-of-mind issues for voters in the area.
asserted
Both → center → area
That includes bolstering blue collar work in manufacturing, natural resources, and supporting small businesses.
asserted
That → include → businesses
Where they diverge is on some of the traditional partisan faultline issues such as abortion.
asserted
diverge → diverge → abortion
There is a balancing act each candidate must perform because partisan politics don't land well in Washington's 3rd District.
asserted
politics → be → District
This has long been one of the most competitive seats in Congress — former Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler often faced fierce races to keep her seat.
asserted
Beutler → face → seat
She was ousted in the 2022 primary after voting for Trump's impeachment following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
asserted
She → oust → Capitol
"We don't vote down the ballot one way or the other.
asserted
We → vote → ballot
Trump can win the city, but Marie Gluesenkamp Perez can win the city as well on the same ballot.
asserted
Perez → win → ballot
So it's really person specific," Longview, Wash., Mayor Erik Halvorson told NPR.
asserted
Halvorson → tell → NPR
"I think loyalty matters, especially for an incumbent," Halvorson said.
asserted
Halvorson → think → incumbent
"I think that polished candidates are not a necessary requirement for Longview and Cowlitz County.
asserted
candidates → think → Longview
I think you just have to be authentic."
When a candidate can't rely on the partisan label next to their name on the ballot, they have to lean on other strengths.
asserted
they → think → strengths
Halvorson stressed the need to understand local issues.
asserted
Halvorson → stress → issues
Longview used to be solely known for the timber industry.
asserted
Longview → use → industry
It was founded to house employees of the local timber mill.
asserted
It → found → mill
But as the natural resource economy changed and the logging industry shrank, mills closed and jobs vanished.
"I do feel like the tariffs have hit a lot of our industry here hard on the federal level," said Halvorson.
asserted
Halvorson → change → level
That's where John Braun feels he has a distinct advantage in this race.
asserted
he → feel → race
He owns Braun Northwest Inc., an emergency vehicle manufacturing facility.
asserted
He → own → Inc.
Walking through his manufacturing facility, Braun pointed out all the different materials used to build an ambulance or fire truck.
asserted
Braun → walk → ambulance
The cost of those materials has increased because of tariffs and the price hike is passed onto consumers, which in Braun's case, mostly consists of American cities and municipalities.
asserted
which → increase → cities
Braun thinks that makes him uniquely qualified to advocate for the trades and did so regularly during his time in the state legislature.
asserted
him → think → legislature
…and 63 more, not listed.
The Aporia
