Perez Wins Washington Seat as Democrats Secure Committee Control

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has won reelection to a third term in Washington's 3rd Congressional District. The moderate Democrat defeated Republican state Senate Minority Leader John Braun in a district that voted for President Donald Trump by three points in 2024. Her victory is part of a wider Democratic surge that is now determining which party controls key House committees.

The latest results in the 3rd District cap a night of decisive outcomes across the country. These wins set the stage for a major shift in leadership within the House Appropriations Committee. Nancy Pelosi's former chief of staff, DeLauro, is poised to head that powerful committee as Democrats consolidate their new majority.

The wave of changes began with redistricting and primary contests that altered the political map in several states. In California, Democrats successfully used new district lines to flip seats. Democrat Adam Gray easily won the 13th District, a seat he had held by only 187 votes in 2024. In the 22nd District, progressive Democrat Randy Villegas defeated Republican Rep. David Valadao. Villegas was one of few House candidates endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, and his new district includes two-thirds Hispanic voters.

Texas saw a major shift in the 9th District. Democrat Leticia Gutierrez defeated Republican Alex Mealer in a Houston-area seat that was a primary target of the state's recent redistricting plan. That plan had been designed to bolster the Republican advantage after state Republicans redrew the maps in the previous year. Gutierrez's win dealt another blow to the state GOP, which faced losses in statewide races as well.

Michigan experienced a similar reversal of control. In the 4th District, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann defeated eight-term Republican incumbent Bill Huizenga. Huizenga had won the Kalamazoo-based seat by 12 points in 2024. Democrats also took the 10th District, where Christina Hines defeated Michael Bouchard. That seat was previously held by Rep. John James, who is now seeking the state governorship. In the 7th District, Democrat William Lawrence defeated freshman Republican Rep. Tom Barrett, who had held the Lansing-based seat by four points in the previous cycle.

New York Democrats held onto their existing seats. Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen retained their positions in the 3rd and 4th districts, respectively. Both successfully fended off their Republican challengers. In California's 34th District, democratic socialist Angela Gonzales-Torres defeated incumbent Democrat Jimmy Gomez in a primary contest. Gomez had been facing a House Ethics Committee investigation after a former staffer accused him of sexual misconduct, though he denied any wrongdoing.