Four different states went to the polls for primaries in America on Tuesday, with Rep. Cori Bush's (D-MO) loss to DA Wesley Bell being the race to watch. Washington state also held several statewide primaries, and it looks like we will be seeing a rematch from 2022 for the Evergreen State's 3rd Congressional District between Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent.
The state has a jungle primary, with Gluesenkamp Perez finishing out on top ahead of Kent. The seat was previously held by Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who was unseated in the 2022 primary after she voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump in 2021. She had faced eight challengers at the time.
Although the race was predicted to favor Republicans, given that it's an R+5 district, Gluesenkamp Perez ended up emerging victorious in a rather tight general election two years ago, earning 50.1 percent of the vote to Kent's 49.3 percent.
This time, the race is mostly considered to be a "Toss-Up" for 2024 between the Democratic incumbent and Kent, though Decision Desk/The Hill considers it to be a "Lean Republican" race.
With an estimated 60 percent of the vote reporting, Gluesenkamp Perez enjoys 46.9 percent of the vote to Kent's 38.4 percent.
In 2022, the jungle primary breakdown ended up being 31.03 percent for Gluesenkamp Perez, with Kemp coming in with 22.79 percent and Herrera Beutler coming in at a very close third with 22.31 percent.
Gluesenkamp Perez has been trading barbs with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) as he expressed support for Kent and vowed to get him elected in November.
I think you should google him first. He keeps losing to me, among other issues. https://t.co/66QtbSxxgz
— Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (@MGPforCongress) August 7, 2024
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Kent also has plenty of support from other top Republicans, as he shared from his X account early on Wednesday morning as the race had been called. This includes another Republican who ran for the seat, Leslie Lewallen, and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
Thank you Leslie, you ran a great campaign & are a strong Republican.
— Joe Kent for WA-3 (@joekent16jan19) August 7, 2024
I really appreciate your support & your leadership. https://t.co/6TOUEkvLt2
Washington has an #AmericaFirst Patriot in @joekent16jan19.
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) August 7, 2024
Congratulations Joe on winning Washington’s 3rd Congressional District’s Republican primary today! The voters of #WA03 must remember to get out and VOTE in November to send Joe to Washington to deliver #RealResults! pic.twitter.com/RfF5s4p3t6
In expressing their congratulations for Kent, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has also focused on his status as a veteran with the U.S. Army Special Forces. He enlisted at 18 and served in 11 combat deployments.
Kent was also referenced in a column from Mitch Brown published for Townhall around Memorial Day this year.
"For the GOP specifically, of which there are currently 72 veterans serving, they are much more aligned with former President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda and approach to committing our servicemembers to war," Brown wrote. "Candidates and officeholders alike, with recognizable names like Cory Mills, JD Vance, Eli Crane, and Joe Kent are just a few of the veterans forcing a very different kind of foreign affairs discussion in Washington. For them and countless others, war is both a deterrent and last resort."
Congrats to U.S. Army Special Forces Veteran @JoeKent16jan19 on tonight’s win!
— NRCC (@NRCC) August 7, 2024
Joe will deploy to Congress to lower inflation, end the border crisis and defend law and order, just like he enlisted at 18 and fought to protect our freedoms for 20 years over 11 combat deployments. pic.twitter.com/7A6JfEic4w
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