VANCOUVER, Washington— On NFL Sundays, linemen aim to take down their opponents. But despite their fierce competition, these towering athletes, often standing 6-foot-7 and weighing around 315 pounds, recognize the skills and hard work of their rivals. This spirit of “respecting your opponent” is evident both on the field and in politics.
In the high-stakes world of political campaigns, candidates usually acknowledge their opponents’ strengths, even if they vehemently disagree on issues. However, the race for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District between freshman Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez D-WA and her 2022 Republican rival Joe Kent has been anything but cordial. Their rivalry has intensified over two years, leading up to the 2024 Election Day.
Both candidates, who are relatively young and not career politicians, stand out from the typical congressional candidate mold. Kent’s 2022 run was his first, while Gluesenkamp Perez had previously only campaigned for a local utility district position.
Here are two nonpoliticians,” remarked Jim Moore, a political science professor at Pacific University in Oregon, who noted their lack of politician armor when it comes to handling criticism.
Winning this district is crucial for both parties’ chances of controlling the House. Democrats need to gain four seats in the 435-member chamber, and while Gluesenkamp Perez is the incumbent, she faces an uphill battle. The 3rd Congressional District is one of only eight held by Democrats that would have favored Donald Trump over Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
The sprawling district stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascade Mountains and includes Vancouver, home to over 192,000 residents. Its political landscape has seen a balance of power; for 32 years, Democrats and Republicans have each held the seat for 16 years.
Gluesenkamp Perez’s victory in 2022 was a significant upset for Democrats, who managed to counter what was expected to be a red wave election. Her win followed a unique all-party primary in which Kent ousted the district’s longtime Republican incumbent, Jaime Herrera Beutler, who had voted to impeach Trump.
In the general election, Gluesenkamp Perez narrowly defeated Kent with 50.14% of the vote, a margin of just 2,629 votes. Despite Biden winning the state of Washington, he lost the district by a narrow margin.
The animosity between the two candidates has only grown since their initial contest. Recently, Kent criticized Gluesenkamp Perez for skipping a candidate forum, while she explained that she was delayed due to a House vote.
The 2024 race mirrors their previous battle, with Kent once again receiving Trump’s endorsement. A vocal supporter of Trump’s election denial, Kent has also criticized U.S. support for Ukraine. His foreign policy stance has drawn fire, particularly his views on Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Kent’s controversial history includes hiring a campaign consultant with ties to the Proud Boys and making statements that could alienate moderate voters. For example, he suggested during a virtual town hall that Secret Service agents may have been involved in a recent assassination attempt on Trump.
On the other hand, Gluesenkamp Perez has positioned herself as a moderate candidate who understands the district’s working-class roots. As a daughter of a Mexican immigrant who owns a car repair business, she emphasizes her connections to the community. She has also taken centrist stances, voting with Republicans on certain issues, which she believes aligns with her constituents.
While Gluesenkamp Perez focuses on her connection to the district, Kent aims to show a more centrist image in his second bid. He has recently shifted his rhetoric to focus on policy critiques, such as questioning Gluesenkamp Perez’s involvement in securing federal funding for infrastructure projects.
Both candidates utilize social media platforms like X to engage with voters and respond to attacks. The campaign has escalated into personal jabs, with Gluesenkamp Perez calling Kent out for his controversial views, while Kent tries to link her to the issues of illegal immigration and crime.
As the election approaches, the battle for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District remains heated, with both sides aware that control of the House may hinge on this contentious race.