Some claim support for Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is drying up as she continues her habit of voting against party lines.
Even so, a poll commissioned by her competitor shows Republicans united behind state Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and many others are uncertain.
Democrat challenger Brent Hennrich’s campaign announced the release of a political poll earlier this week that showed voters' approval of Gluesenkamp Perez waning with the knowledge of her voting record.
The campaign disclosed that Hennrich himself commissioned the poll of 752 “likely voters.” It was carried out by a non-aligned public relations firm called Gravis Marketing, which specializes in advertising, polling and other work for political campaigns and nonprofit organizations.
Hennrich originally ran to become congressional representative for Washington’s Third Congressional District in 2022 before stepping out of the race in favor of supporting Gluesenkamp Perez’s bid for the seat. He announced over the summer that he would renew his campaign and look to unseat Gluesenkamp Perez.
The news release of the recent poll announcement claims data from the poll gathered between Nov. 10 and Nov 12 shows support for Gluesenkamp Perez declining and support for Hennrich rising.
Hennrich linked the changes to the congresswoman's support of Republican-sponsored bills on issues such as oil pipelines, immigration enforcement and the recent vote to fund the government without the Affordable Care Act extensions many Democrats hoped for.
“A new poll commissioned by Brent Hennrich for Washington and conducted by Gravis Marketing, a nonpartisan research firm, reveals support for Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03) is rapidly eroding among her core voting base,” reads the statement.
During the poll, Gravis asked voters who they would support in the state's 2026 primary election before and after offering information about Gluesenkamp Perez’s voting record.
To start, 52% said they supported Gluesenkamp Perez over Joe Kent in 2024 and 24% said they would vote for her if the 2026 primary was held today. After asking questions about voter concerns over the congresswoman’s support of Republican-sponsored legislation, those hoping to vote for her in 2026 dropped to 17%.
A slight majority said that her support for Republican issues would dissuade them from voting in her favor.
“These poll results demonstrate that Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is a liability to the goal of a Democratic majority in Congress, and that our campaign is the best choice for Democrats to retain this seat,” Hennrich said.
According to the information provided by Gravis, almost 50% of those polled said they had a slightly or very unfavorable opinion of Gluesenkamp Perez. However, the representative also had the highest approval rating between herself, Hennrich and Braun, the standout Republican competitor.
A total of 43% of those polled said they had a somewhat or very favorable opinion of Gluesenkamp Perez while 24% said the same of Hennrich and 33% said the same about Braun.
In response to the announcement of the recent poll, Gluesenkamp Perez's campaign manager Tim Gowen showed little concern over the results, instead offering an air of focus.
"Primary elections are foundational to Americans' right to choose those who represent us,” Gowen wrote. “Right now, Marie is focused on delivering results for her constituents, and looking forward to making her case to Southwest Washington voters in 2026."
Hennrich has pitched the poll results as evidence of eroding support for his democratic competitor. But, more than showing support for either of the Democratic candidates, the data showed consistent support for Braun and uncertainty among the rest.
When asked who voters would support if the 2026 primary were held today, Braun received the most support with 33%.
A total of 28% of those polled said they were uncertain before hearing about the incumbent's voting record. That number dropped to 22% afterward.
Hennrich's campaign was received with mild support and uncertainty, with 14% saying they would support him at the beginning of the poll and 26% afterward. More than 50% said they were unsure of the Democrat challenger when asked their opinion of him.
