Election 2026
Independent, source-first accountability
Issue record
In short
Braun's campaign would finish border barriers, hire more agents, tighten asylum rules, close open-air drug markets and fund detox and mental-health beds. Gluesenkamp Perez's campaign backs police funding against fentanyl and illegal guns, border security, tougher drug penalties and wider treatment. Bills Braun backed on children harmed by fentanyl passed the state Senate four years running with votes from both parties and died in the House; he was prime sponsor in 2025 and 2026.
Campaign positions
His campaign says he will complete high-priority border barriers, hire and equip more agents, tighten asylum rules and go after cartel supply chains, and that at home he would shut down open-air drug markets, support local camping bans where shelter is available and fund detox and mental-health beds.
Her campaign says state and local police need the resources to keep fentanyl and illegal guns off the streets, that federal money should go to officer and firefighter pay, and that the drug crisis calls for border security, stricter punishment for sale and possession, and wider access to treatment.
Evidence timeline
official action
The Senate passed it with votes from both parties in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, but it died in the House each year, and he was prime sponsor only in 2025 and 2026.
His campaign says he championed legislation to create criminal penalties when children are harmed by fentanyl exposure, and that it passed the Senate with bipartisan votes four years running. Two bills carried it. Senate Bill 5010, with Senator Lynda Wilson as prime sponsor and him fourth of fifteen sponsors, passed the Senate 47 to 0 on March 1, 2023 and 48 to 1 on January 24, 2024. Senate Bill 5071, with him as prime sponsor and Democratic Senator Manka Dhingra second, passed 42 to 7 on February 5, 2025 and 40 to 9 on January 21, 2026; Senator Dhingra voted Yea all four times. Each year the House referred it to committee and it went no further. Limit: Exact on Senate passage, on the four years, and on votes from both parties. Neither bill became law, which the campaign acknowledges in saying these causes struggled for traction in the House; the 2023 bill did get a House committee hearing on March 14, 2023. The bills extend an existing crime, endangerment with a controlled substance, to fentanyl and synthetic opioids. On the first bill he was a cosponsor rather than its author.
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John Braun for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Campaign-controlled source setting out nine subjects. Three of its sentences are about his opponent's votes; a claim about an opponent is outside what this site checks, and those sentences are not used.
candidate statement
For: John Braun: campaign position
Marie for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Campaign-controlled source setting out fourteen subjects. Positions are attributed, not independently verified facts.
candidate statement
For: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez: campaign position
John Braun for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Campaign-controlled source, used for his biography and for the record claims on this page: the tuition program, the 2017-19 budget, the capital gains and income tax opposition, and the fentanyl bills. His Navy rank and years of service are his campaign's account; no Navy record was read.
candidate statement
For: John Braun: Matches stated record claim
Washington State Legislature · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Sponsor list (Senator Lynda Wilson first, Braun fourth of fifteen) and history: Senate passage in 2023 and 2024, a House hearing on March 14, 2023, and return to the Senate Rules Committee each year.
official legislative record
For: John Braun: Matches stated record claim
Washington State Legislature · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Senate final-passage votes of March 1, 2023 (47 to 0) and January 24, 2024 (48 to 1).
official legislative record
For: John Braun: Matches stated record claim
Washington State Legislature · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Sponsor list (Braun first of twelve) and history: Senate passage in 2025 and 2026, referral to the House Community Safety committee each year, and return to the Senate Rules Committee.
official legislative record
For: John Braun: Matches stated record claim
Washington State Legislature · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
Senate final-passage votes of February 5, 2025 (42 to 7) and January 21, 2026 (40 to 9).
official legislative record
For: John Braun: Matches stated record claim
Washington State Legislature · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026
The same roster for the current biennium, used for the party of senators named on the fentanyl card.
official office record
For: John Braun: Matches stated record claim