Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is the Democratic incumbent representing Washington's 3rd Congressional District, covering Southwest Washington. She won the seat in a 2022 upset over Republican Joe Kent, was re-elected in a 2024 rematch, and is running for a third term in the 2026 primary. She serves as co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition and has been recognized for a bipartisan legislative record.
Born in Harris County, Texas, in 1988, Gluesenkamp Perez is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant father who became a pastor and a mother whose Washington roots run back generations, including a great-great-grandfather who helped build the Washington State Capitol and a grandmother born in a logging camp in Sappho, Washington. Her parents met at Western Washington University. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Reed College in 2012, later serving on the executive committee of the Washington State Democratic Party and the board of the Underwood Conservation District.
Before Congress, Gluesenkamp Perez and her husband, Dean, built an independent auto repair shop from the ground up into a six-bay operation providing living-wage trades jobs. Her own experience navigating a lengthy Small Business Administration loan application and being unable to afford health insurance for herself and her husband while insuring their infant son shaped her decision to run. In Congress, she has worked to secure federal funding toward replacing the aging Interstate Bridge carrying I-5 over the Columbia River and has introduced bipartisan right-to-repair legislation for agricultural equipment as a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Join States Win in creating a blue wave across state legislatures! 🌊
We are calling voters in key state legislature districts to get out the vote and help elect Democrats and build enduring progressive power.
Join us for a virtual phonebank, where we’ll be calling for our endorsed candidates in targeted states:
Tuesdays at 6pm ET
Wednesdays at 6pm ET
Thursdays at 4pm ET
Saturdays at 12pm ET
In partnership with the DCCC and the Grassroots Democrats HQ Join the DCCC and GDHQ Every Thursday to make calls into key Congressional races across the country to Take Back...
Every Sunday until Election Day! Join volunteers from Downtown East for Progress as we make calls to must win swing districts to elect Dems, save our democracy, and finally bring some accountability to the White House! These phone banks will be in-person in Chelsea (exact Manhattan location provided upon confirmation). BRING A LAPTOP OR TABLET....
We are excited to have our Monday phone bank circle up and running for the 2026 elections
