Republican congressional candidate John Braun waved to supporters at a rally on Oct. 21, 2026, in Chehalis, Washington, as House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed the crowd. Braun, a Republican state senator, is running against Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in the 3rd Congressional District. Johnson attended the rally, which was estimated to have drawn 550 people, and was joined by four other Republican members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Johnson described the contest as a contrast between common sense and crazy, warning the crowd that Democrats in Congress are pushing a policy agenda to abolish achievements made by Republican majorities. He acknowledged that in nearly every midterm election, sitting presidents lose seats, but insisted this year will be different if Republicans turn out. “I’m absolutely convinced we’re going to defy history and hold the majority,” he said. Republicans currently outnumber Democrats 218-214 in the House, and the Braun-Gluesenkamp Perez race is among a handful of competitive races nationwide. Johnson’s visit marked his second public event and third trip to western Washington this year as he seeks to maintain GOP control of the House. He also made a brief stop in Olympia on Sept. 29 and met privately with Braun donors after a planned rally was canceled. Gluesenkamp Perez told supporters in a fundraising email that the Speaker of the House does not fly across the country twice for a seat he thinks is safe, indicating the race is close. Democrats’ grip on the seat frustrates Republicans because Donald Trump won in the district in each of his presidential campaigns. GOP operatives were excited when results of a recent poll showed the race is close, with the candidates statistically deadlocked. In the months since Johnson’s visit to Vancouver in August, the electoral climate has soured for GOP candidates due to high gas and diesel prices, growing enmity toward the Iran war, and cratering public support for President Donald Trump. Johnson told the crowd that House Republicans have delivered tangible tax cuts and more secure borders, and the president took steps to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. “We have a great record to run on,” he said. Braun, until this campaign, sought to steer clear of the president and the political dramas of the other Washington. He has focused instead on pushing back on a slate of taxes, including a new state income tax on high earners, and expansion of social programs enacted by Democratic majorities in the state Legislature and Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson. After securing Trump’s endorsement, Braun has sought to distance himself from the president and his policies. On Wednesday, he did not mention the president and cast himself as a change agent for the district. “This is an opportunity, an opportunity to change the direction for our state and our country,” he said. As he has throughout the campaign, he poked
