Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez was born in Harris County, Texas, and lives in Skamania County, Washington. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Reed College in 2012. Her career experience includes being a business owner of an auto repair shop.[1][2][3]

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Campaign websiteGluesenkamp Perez's campaign website stated the following:Fighting for Reproductive FreedomMarie is fighting to ensure every woman can see a doctor whenever she wants, for whatever reason. Because that is her right, and once freedom is limited, it’s lost. She is protecting access to critical medical care and the freedom of women to choose what is right for their families and themselves. Marie will do whatever it takes to prevent a national abortion ban, which would override the will of the people of Washington State.Safeguarding Our Communities & Securing the BorderMarie will always fight to make sure state and local law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to keep Fentanyl and illegal guns off of our streets. Marie believes we need to provide more federal funding to boost officer and firefighter pay to improve retention rather than furnish departments with unnecessary line items like night-vision goggles.Championing the Right to RepairMarie and her husband have run an auto repair shop, so she knows firsthand how important it is to be able to repair your own equipment. She is working to stop manufacturers of farm and consumer equipment from gouging their customers by forcing them to pay the original manufacturer for repairs.Supporting Working FamiliesMarie and her husband built their home by hand to save money and brought their child to work because daycare was too expensive. In Congress, she is working to bring down the cost of housing, increase choices for childcare options, and cut out the middlemen who jack up the cost of healthcare.Ending the Influence of Corporate MoneyMarie is in Congress to fight for working people — not special interests. Her campaign doesn’t take money from special interests (like drug companies). She also believes that we need to ban our Representatives from other behaviors that erode public trust, like trading individual stocks.Fighting InflationMarie has been working in Congress to combat unfair business practices — like opposing mergers of major grocery chains and opposing deceptive “Shrinkflation” food packaging. She believes a well trained workforce and higher wages for workers will increase the labor force and stabilize consumer prices across the economy. She believes abundant and cheap energy from traditional and renewable sources will provide further pricing relief to consumers.Acting on the Climate CrisisMarie believes that climate change is real and is man-made. She also believes that increasingly severe weather events caused by climate change disproportionately affect the working class. Marie has also championed tax-rebates for energy efficiency upgrades for working class families, like weather skirting for mobile homes.Increasing Accessibility of ChildcareMarie is committed to making childcare more accessible and increasing flexibility for working families — particularly in rural communities. She supports re-introducing and expanding the Child Tax Credit, which makes it easier for parents to make the choices that best work for their families, whether that’s paying a family member or going to a traditional daycare.Addressing Substance AbuseMarie believes in fighting the drug crisis through increased border security, stricter punishments for sale and possession, expanded access to treatment and rehab, and better job opportunities. She believes it needs to be easier to find help getting sober than it is to find a dealer.Boosting American ManufacturingMarie knows Washington has some of the best workers in the world. She is supporting efforts to create American jobs and making sure American workers have the training needed to do those jobs at good pay. She is fighting unfair trade and work practices by competitors like China to create a level playing field for American workers.Supporting Small BusinessAs someone who ran an auto repair shop, Marie knows the hoops small business owners jump through to start, run, and grow their business. When her shop applied for a loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the application was the size of a phone book and took almost a year to complete. That’s why in Congress she’s fighting to streamline the application process for SBA loans and empower young people in the trades to start their own small businesses.Investing in Career and Technical EducationMarie knows many good jobs don’t require a 4-year degree. In Congress, she is working to increase access to apprenticeships and technical training and reduce the number of jobs that require applicants to have expensive college degrees. She is also working to allow Pell Grants to apply to job training, not just college degrees.Supporting Critical InfrastructureMarie is working to make sure Southwest Washington is getting its fair share of tax dollars back from Washington D.C. She worked to secure $600 million in funding needed to replace the 100-year-old I-5 bridge. This financial support is a down payment and essential to repair the bridge and avoid the need for tolls.Protecting Social Security and MedicareMarie knows Social Security and Medicare are the backbone of the middle class. She will protect the benefits that seniors in Southwest Washington are counting on for their retirement and that they’ve paid into their whole working lives. Marie supports common sense legislation to strengthen the Social Security program for the long-run without raising the retirement age or reducing benefits.— Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's campaign website (July 17, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat, fifth-generation Washingtonian, small business owner, and mother. I’m running to represent Washington’s Third congressional district to bring the voices of Middle America back to DC.

I will work for Washington by supporting small businesses and worker’s rights, lowering the costs of healthcare, childcare and prescription drugs, addressing climate change by investing in clean energy, getting Big Money out of politics, investing in and expanding apprenticeship and skills training programs, protecting women’s access to health and rights, and tackling the rising costs of food, gas, and housing.

I own an auto-repair shop with my husband Dean, but like many small business owners, cannot afford healthcare for the two of us. We pay $500 a month for our infant son, but simply can’t afford an additional $1,200 to cover ourselves. Like so many families today, we struggle to find quality affordable childcare – so our son goes to the auto shop with us everyday.

I am a member of the working class Washingtonians that have been left behind in this economy and ignored by the political extremes in our nation’s capital – and that’s exactly why I’m running for Congress.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The middle class is an endangered species and small business owners like me have been fighting to create and grow family-wage jobs. Fixing the supply chain, restoring manufacturing, and lowering prices are critical to the long term economic, environmental, and geopolitical security of our country. One example: right now, China controls virtually all the inputs into solar panels and produces them with slave labor, while American manufacturers are struggling to compete. To pursue energy independence and renewables we have to bring manufacturing back to America.We absolutely need to get big money out of politics, I refuse to take corporate PAC money.I am the only pro-choice woman on the ballot, I will fight to protect the right to choose what happens to my own body.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Economy, plastic pollution, affordable childcare, fixing the supply chain, safe communities

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Humility, discernment, and transparency are some of the most important principles for an elected official to uphold. Southwest Washington needs someone who is able to set aside their own personal interests to do what is in the best long-term interest of this community. Someone who will get laws passed that benefit our region and prepare us for long-term success. We must look to the future. As climate change intensifies and water aquifers dry up, the Pacific Northwest will increasingly become a climate sanctuary. We must act now to preserve the interests of current residents and future generations. I love my current job- I want to serve in congress to help my community but I have no need to compromise my values to gain or maintain power.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When I was eight or nine years old I started taking care of horses at the local stables before and after school. Because I was charging just .25 cents to feed and turn a horse out to pasture, soon I was swamped with more work than I could take on, rising earlier and earlier to keep up. I wish I could say I was smart enough to raise my prices and find a sustainable work load, but instead I spent my mornings scheming ways to make the tasks more efficient. I kept my little business going till I reached highschool and understood the financial reality that staying in the horse world would entail - in short, $2.50 a day of income wasn’t going to cut it. This early adventure in entrepreneurship probably stunted my bank account, but it was an invaluable lesson in the value of work and the critical necessity of fair compensation for work. We’re seeing folks drop out of the job market because, in the absence of labor unions, work has become degrading and poorly compensated. People have fewer options to find work that is rewarding and fairly compensated and it’s critical that we pass legislation like the PROAct to put family-wage jobs back on the table.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The last book I read was How The World Really Works by Vaclav Smil

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Straight out of college I started working with my husband in what became our business. Balancing the tight budget of our customers with the long-term safety and reliability of their cars is a difficult job. We have to clearly understand their priorities, effectively communicate available options, and earn their trust through consistently delivering value. If only our elected officials felt this same sense of obligation. On top of this, we have to navigate a confusing bureaucracy of OSHA, the EPA, the SBA and local and state laws. Meanwhile, decades of disinvestment in public education make it even harder to find employees with the skills they need to be successful in this demanding industry.

As a woman working in the automotive industry, I’ve had to develop a quick wit, a strong bull detector, and frequently, sharp elbows. I expect all of this to be invaluable in congress.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

We can’t keep sending the same career politicians to DC and expect and expect a better outcome. Too many of our elected officials are coming from a monied political class; doctors, lawyers, bankers. People who know how to make deals and make believe, not make things better. As someone who has worked in the trades fixing things, I understand the perspective of the folks trying to make our economy run. More important than previous elected office is a demonstrated commitment to serving your community.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Money in politics. Love of money is the root of all evil and we cannot address our biggest threats like climate change or a disappearing middle class without having political leaders who are honest dealers that put the interest of their constituents above high-dollar donors.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is unquestionably necessary. There are moral issues that are non-negotiable, for instance, a woman’s right to choose. There are also issues like tax reform, education, and money in politics that are so broken that we can’t afford not to compromise. Congress is in a state of political gridlock and we cannot let perfect be the enemy of good any longer.

Campaign website

Perez's campaign website stated the following:

Big Money Out of Politics

Special interests and party bosses have too much power in Washington and are failing to solve our biggest challenges. I’m running to take on politicians who are bought and paid for by large corporations who refuse to pay their fair share while working families who follow the rules fall further behind. I’m not taking a dime of Corporate PAC money and will put people over profits. I like to get my hands dirty fixing things, not working the system.

Reproductive Freedom

Women have the right to control their own bodies, period. I’ll fight to protect a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions no matter what the Supreme Court rules. I’ll stand up to the politicians who want to tell women what to do and protect funding for Planned Parenthood.

In February of 2020 I miscarried at 16 weeks, and was told my life was at risk without an immediate abortion, or dialation and evacuation. Planned Parenthood was the only clinic that could see me, and I had to pass through a wall of protestors to get the care that I needed.

Stop Inflation

Our Representatives are completely out of touch with those of us struggling to keep up with the rising costs of food, gas, housing and prescription drugs. As co-owner of an auto repair and machine shop, I know how tough it’s been to navigate this economy. Like so many working Washingtonians, we do our best to stay ahead of bills; but because we cannot afford quality child care for our son, we take him to work with us.

While gas prices soar, gas companies are making record profits. We must make large corporations pay their fair share and stop price gouging.

Increase the labor supply: We need to get more Americans back to work, and I mean increasing workforce participation, not just low unemployment, by making it easier for working families to live near their job and giving caregivers a safe and affordable place to bring their children. Similarly, we need to support training and education programs that open the doors to critical jobs in health care, trades and child care.

Raise wages: Wages have simply not kept up with inflation. In 1968 my grandpa made $45/day working in the woods as a logger, today that would equate to an income of about $120k/year. I am proud to pay my employees a living wage and support efforts to increase the minimum wage for all workers, but this is just a start. The hard work of my family and families across Washington should be respected and compensated fairly.

Affordable Child Care

My husband and I take our baby to work with us everyday because there simply aren’t any affordable options that fit our needs. Since 2019, we have lost one out of every ten child care facilities in America. Many women I know are on waitlists for child care centers before they are even pregnant, and families spend upwards of $15,000 per child per year on care.

It’s no longer possible to save for a college fund, a down payment on a house, and pay off student loans while shelling out that kind of money for a critical service. In Congress, I will support the child tax credits that help parents make whatever choices are right for their family, whether that’s paying grandpa or going to a traditional care center.

Taking on Big Pharma

Life saving medicine is too expensive, and in Congress, I’ll fight to lower prescription drug costs. Big Pharma produces insulin for about $10 per vial but charges patients who desperately need this medicine up to 30 times more. As a result, 1 in 4 Americans who rely on insulin have rationed or skipped doses because they could not afford it.This gamble can land patients in the emergency room and result in astronomical medical bills for taxpayers and those americans who can least afford it.

Everyday more Americans are diagnosed with diabetes and everyday Big Pharma looks for ways to price gouge and raise the prices of life saving medicine for the sake of corporate profit. The Affordable Insulin Now Act, which caps families’ insulin costs at $35 per month, is a start, but we must give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and make commercial insurance plans to cover insulin.

Helping Small Businesses

My husband and I are the proud owners of an auto repair shop and we love our jobs, but it’s not easy to run a small business in America right now. We have to navigate the SBA, OSHA, the IRS, the EPA, local permitting and licensing; deliver quality, affordable service to our customers and most importantly– recruit and retain the best employees.

We need political leadership that respects the trades and understands the challenges facing small businesses, and in Congress, I will use my experience creating my business to support American manufacturing, cut through red tape, and streamline services Main Street businesses need to succeed.

American Manufacturing

When our local machine shop shut down due to the retirement of their machinists and lack of available apprentices we took proactive steps to keep that equipment in-service and bought out the shop. We need to retool our economy to make things here again, and provide the family wage jobs you can buy a house with. We need to stand up to China and make things in America again. As owners of an auto repair shop, we know better than most that the quality of parts out of China is unreliable, and when cars are repaired with substandard parts it is the middle class who suffers most.

In Congress, I’ll work to boost American manufacturing that will strengthen our economy and create good jobs. I’ll build on legislation like the America Competes Act to invest in production of goods like semiconductors and parts here in America that will make us more secure and bring down inflation.

We are seeing more and more industrial spaces converted to (vacant) office buildings. I have a degree in economics and it took me a year of work to successfully apply for a loan from the small business administration. How many small business owners have that kind of time and manpower available to getting a loan, muchless one they are qualified to receive? We have to level the playing field and ensure that the tradespeople providing services that make communities vibrant and self sufficient are able to buy in the communities they serve, and not stuck renting from corporate landlords.

Support Pathways to Skills and Degrees

We need more skilled workers and cheaper degrees. In Congress, I’ll work to expand access to career and technical training at high schools, community colleges and vocational schools. My husband and I were fortunate to have legacy trades programs in our high schools, but they are often the first thing to get cut when budgets get tight. As a member of the advisory committee of two automotive educational programs I understand the challenges both in funding quality programs and recruiting good candidates.

Fix the Supply Chain

We need to do more to shore up our supply chains and invest in American manufacturing to prevent our small businesses from bearing the brunt of the devastation when something goes wrong. During the recent catalytic converter shortage, dealership-owned repair shops had first dibs on any available parts, hanging small businesses like mine out to dry and redirecting our customers to the largest auto companies. In Congress, I will do more to encourage consumers to shop at small businesses, not penalize Main Street for not having the resources they need to skirt supply chain problems.

Environment

Climate change is real and I believe in practicable, comprehensive environmental stewardship: We know that limiting our focus to just temperature is not sufficient to protect our economy and way of life. In Congress, I will…

Energy Independence: Americans deserve the autonomy that only comes from a secure, affordable, independent source of energy. Ten years ago, I was skeptical about the practicability of electric cars for rural America and concerned about the sustainability of the batteries that powered them. Today, we have incredible range, affordability and sustainability.

Bring back paper

Microplastics: As a new mom, I was horrified to learn that microplastics were being found in most of the placentas surveyed, and just this year one study found 80% of blood samples contained microplastics. These tiny particles leach chemicals known as Hormone Disruptors into the bloodstream and cause changes in the age at which puberty begins, fertility rates, cancer and are potentially linked to autism. Consumers deserve to know which products expose them to microplastics and what their actual effect is. I will fight to fund federal research into the effects of microplastics and Hormone Disrupting Chemicals on children and the environment.

Renewables: We need to make it easier for companies to use renewable packaging like cardboard and glass, and demand that companies who choose to use high levels of plastic packaging share the financial burden of ensuring it is properly recycled. Paper producing states like Washington can be leaders in the sustainable forestry that provides clean, renewable cardboard.

Self Sufficiency

What if a judge told you you weren’t allowed to change a lightbulb in your house without paying the electric company a subscription fee? Right now, Intellectual Property Lawyers at large corporations are scheming ways to take away the rights of Americans to fix their own stuff. From cell phones to tractors, we are being bullied into a position of permanent renters.

Right-to-Repair legislation not only protects consumers’ rights to self-sufficiency, it also saves consumers money because they can repair things rather than buy new ones. This is exactly the kind of pocket book environmentalism I will fight for as a Congresswoman.

Safe Communities

According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for police patrol officers and detectives was $67,290 as of May 2020. How many people do you know that would risk their lives for less than $70,000 per year? Right now, federal legislation often funds police departments buying equipment like night vision goggles and new trucks. In Congress, I will work to increase the starting pay for police officers so we can recruit and retain the best public servants.

I’ll work to increase funding for police, fire, and first responders and strengthen training for police officers. I’ll support small, rural police departments and help build more community-based policing programs. I’ll work to ensure our fire and rescue departments are staffed up and have the support they need to prevent firefighter and paramedic burnout. I’ll ensure state and local officials have the resources and tools required to get Fentanyl and illegal guns off our streets.[17]

—Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's campaign website (2022)[18]