The political action committee No Going Back PAC, associated with President Donald Trump, has reserved $1.7 million worth of advertising time in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. In the election, Republican John Braun, the state Senate Republican leader and a Trump-endorsed candidate, is challenging two-term Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. The advertising campaign is part of a nationwide, $68 million effort targeting 14 competitive House districts and six Senate races.
The district is considered one of the key contests for control of the House next year, so spending by outside groups will likely rise into the tens of millions of dollars. No Going Back is linked to Trump’s leading super PAC, MAGA Inc., which has roughly $400 million, but it has not yet disclosed its donors to the Federal Election Commission. Elon Musk may reportedly finance an additional campaign against Democrats, with plans to spend at least $100 million supporting Republicans.
The surge of outside support could complicate Braun’s efforts to portray himself as an independent politician. Both candidates are trying to focus on local issues, including trade jobs and salmon protection, while Gluesenkamp Perez has sought to distance herself from the national Democratic Party leadership. She first won the district in 2022, defeating MAGA-aligned candidate Joe Kent, and repeated her victory two years later. She now holds a significant fundraising advantage, with more than $6 million compared with Braun’s approximately $2 million. Democratic supporters have spent about $110,000 on advertising, while super PACs can raise and spend unlimited sums.
Based on: Trump’s PAC starts spending in key WA congressional race