Thursday, October 1, 2026
Fresh off a losing bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, fellow Democrat Brent Hennrich says he won’t be supporting her in the general election.
Hennrich earned over 15 percent of the initial tally on Tuesday night in southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, a distant third to Gluesenkamp Perez, a two-term moderate Democrat, and John Braun, the state Senate’s Republican leader from Centralia.
Hennrich, who ran to the incumbent’s left, had received 21,000 votes on Tuesday. Those voters could be key to deciding the race come the fall in this battleground district that is vital to both parties’ hopes of a majority in the U.S. House. The district, which includes the southwest portion of Thurston County, has supported President Donald Trump in each of his three runs.
“Absolutely no way, shape or form will I support her,” said Hennrich in an interview on Wednesday, Aug. 5, noting he was disappointed in the early results.
“I want her out of office,” he continued. “Just because you’re not a fascist, doesn’t mean you’re a Democrat.”
Hennrich, a project manager, said he didn’t vote for Gluesenkamp Perez in her prior two elections. He said he would be fine with Braun winning and turning the district red, but won’t be voting for him. He said he’ll be using the write-in option in November, but declined to disclose who he’d write in.
He stopped short of saying his voters should do the same.
“I’ve told my supporters what I’m doing and I’ve told them to vote their conscience and that anyone they vote for should earn that vote,” Hennrich said.
Officials for Gluesenkamp Perez’s campaign did not respond directly to Hennrich’s comments.
“Marie is focused on what brings people together instead of what drives them apart. Our campaign will look to carry Marie’s message to the full spectrum of voters in every corner of this district,” said a campaign spokesperson in an email. “Voters in Washington’s 3rd District will always have a faithful and dedicated champion for their interests in Marie.”
Braun said Wednesday he appreciated Hennrich “taking a principled stand but I think his voters aren’t necessarily Marie voters.” Braun has voiced confidence, pointing out Gluesenkamp Perez earned less than 40 percent of the early primary vote.
Hennrich and other progressives have taken issue with several of Gluesenkamp Perez’s key votes in Congress.
For example, she joined Republicans last month to approve a more than $1 trillion defense bill while most Democrats opposed it over frustrations with the war in Iran and the inclusion of Trump’s preferred voting measure within the legislation. In June, she did vote with her party on a symbolic resolution against the war.
Gluesenkamp Perez has also riled liberals with her support of a bill to require parental consent before elementary and middle school students can update pronouns or preferred names. She was one of eight Democrats to break ranks to vote for the legislation.
Local Democratic groups have also been disappointed with her.
Gluesenkamp Perez won the purple district in 2022 after incumbent Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican, lost in the primary. She defeated conservative firebrand Joe Kent that year, and again in 2024. Establishment Republicans hope a more traditional candidate like Braun could swing the district back in their direction and help them maintain control of the House.
Hennrich had run in 2022, but later suspended his campaign out of fears he could contribute to a split Democratic vote that would allow two Republicans to get through the primary.
He now says he’s done with electoral politics, and won’t run again for any office.
Retaking the district is a top priority for Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Louisiana, was set to campaign with Braun in Vancouver on Thursday. Braun also has Trump’s endorsement.
Courtesy of Washington State Standard
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SteveA
Sounds liked the 3rd is loosing nothing with Heinrich out of the race, for who neds a rep in DC thatt will cut off their nose to spite their face? And given how much the dear leader on Pennsylvania Ave. is motivated by sour grapes and personal agarndisment there isn't space for Heinrich to also fil that niche. Maybe/hopefully, 3rd District voters are smarter than this former candidate and can see that while MGP is flawed she is not a supporter of the fasciast in cheif and is the better choice to represent the district. Smart voters will give ehr their vote in November
Thursday, August 6 Report this
Chappellg
Sour grapes Hennrich! You should read Joyce Vance’s book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable. Dropping out of the democratic process bc you got rejected in a conservative district is childish & defeatist—just what Republicans like to see. There are many of Marie’s votes that upset me, but a live Democrat, albeit a conservative one, is better than another trump supporter in Congress.
Come on, Brent, lick your wounds, calm down, & rejoin the very system you claimed to support!
Thursday, August 6 Report this
Obajasay211
Marie Perez is Washington’s John Fetterman./Joe Manchin. I guess that’s better than being Joe Kent. Maybe.
Friday, August 7 Report this
Snevets
“Marie is focused on what brings people together instead of what drives them apart. Our campaign will look to carry Marie’s message to the full spectrum of voters in every corner of this district,” said a campaign spokesperson in an email. “Voters in Washington’s 3rd District will always have a faithful and dedicated champion for their interests in Marie.” BS! She's no different than Fetterman, Manchin & the rest of the flipflopping "moderate Dems"
Friday, August 7 Report this
TheGreatAnon
One can smell Hennrich's b*tthurt from space.
Saturday, August 8 Report this
Somney
I am not in her district but it looks like she has alienated a significant number of Democratic voters with some of her policy positions.
Monday, August 10 Report this
tolerd
MGP miscalculated and will probably lose. She thought she could be GOP lite and still retain all the Dem votes but I think many will skip this one, she just went too far with her support of Right Wing garbage.
Wednesday, August 12 Report this