With the leaves starting to yellow, it means election season is upon us once again. Democrats are vying to retake the US House after losing it in 2022 and the presidency and Senate in 2024. Here are some races near you to follow this cycle:
Washington’s 3rd Congressional District: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, Incumbent) and John Braun (R)
Perhaps one of the more controversial races in Washington state this election season sees sophomore Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez facing Washington state Senate Minority Leader John Braun, a Republican.
Gluesenkamp Perez is a moderate Democrat, frequently breaking party lines to vote with Republicans. In May she (and seven other Democrats) voted with Republicans to pass a bill requiring schools to out Transgender students to their parents, dubbed the “Don’t Say Trans Bill” by critics. Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement to the press that did so to give families a say in conversations about gender identity.
The Congressional Equality Caucus, of which Gluesenkamp Perez is a member, blasted the passage of the bill, saying it unnecessarily outs Transgender children.
“Republicans claim to be the party of small government, but they have no problem bringing the full force of the federal government down against children,” said Rep. Mark Takano, chair of the caucus. “The GOP thinks they can legislate Transgender people out of existence with this inhumane ‘Don’t Say Trans Bill,’ but all they’re doing is making life worse for a small minority of already vulnerable children.”
Braun, who was a staunch critic of Washington’s newly passed high-earner income tax, is seeking to unseat Gluesenkamp Perez. He spoke in favor of the Let’s Go Washington voter initiative banning Transgender students from participating in sports divisions that affirm their gender. The initiative requires students seeking to participate in athletic activities designated for female students to submit documentation from their healthcare provider verifying the student’s sex.
Despite the district being light red, and the fact Gluesenkamp Perez probably has not made any friends to the left of her, PolitiFact Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson predicts she will hold the seat.
“I think that it's probably still going to be considered a competitive race until the end,” he said. “I would say it's a little bit less competitive, even sort of less on the top tier, than national rankings of the competitive seats.”
The 3rd District extends from the edge of Thurston County, west to the coast and south to the Oregon state line.
Washington’s 6th Congressional District: Emily Randall (D, Incumbent) and Teressa Fox (R)
Washington’s 6th Congressional District sees first-term Rep. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton) facing Republican challenger Teressa Fox. The district encompasses the most northwestern part of the state, including Mason and Kitsap Counties.
Fox, a safety professional, hopes to rein in government spending, hire more police, enact term limits for members of Congress, and expand healthcare access for people in rural areas. Fox does not support Transgender people playing in sports, saying it violates Title IX.
Randall is the first openly Queer US representative from Washington and the first Queer Latina elected to Congress. She is also a cochair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. In 2025, she helped reintroduce the Equality Act, which would solidify federal protections for LGBTQ people.
Oregon Governor: Tina Kotek (D, Incumbent) and Christine Drazan (R)
Despite being a blue stronghold, recent polls show the race for the governor’s mansion is neck and neck between Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan (R-Canby).
Kotek, the second openly Queer governor in the state’s history, has been in office since 2007. She helped ban the Queer panic defense, a legal move allowing defendants to claim they were so shocked by someone’s Queer identity that it excused a violent crime. She also helped pass legislation that outlawed gender identity discrimination.
Drazan, who previously served as state House Minority Leader and ran for governor in 2022, focuses on affordability in her campaign. She introduced legislation to the state House in 2025 banning Transgender students from participating in girls’ sports in Oregon schools after President Trump signed a similar executive order.
“I want to thank President Trump for taking executive action to protect women’s rights and fair competition in women’s sports,” she said in a statement. “I urge our state to take similar action to protect women and comply with Title IX.”
Polls show the candidates neck and neck, despite former Vice President Kamala Harris carrying the state by 14 points in 2024.
Oregon’s 25th Legislative District: Ben Bowman (D, Incumbent) and Bob Niemeyer (R)
Republican Bob Niemeyer is hoping to unseat current House Majority Leader Ben Bowman (D-Tigard). The self-employed mechanical engineer is hoping to stop “out of control” state government.
Bowman is the youngest openly Queer person to serve in the Oregon legislature. He aims to focus on standing up for LGBTQ rights and the community in general.
