Trump rallies voters as the nation heads into pivotal midterm elections, while Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez defies party leaders and eyes a third term in a district Donald Trump carried in 2024.
The Big Money Show panel dissected Trump’s economic messaging on the campaign trail and cited the latest Fox News polls showing tight races in Ohio and Texas, where cost‑of‑living concerns dominate voter sentiment.
Gluesenkamp Perez twice broke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, voting with Republicans on procedural measures that cleared the way for GOP legislation, prompting a rare public rebuke from Jeffries and calls to strip her from the Appropriations Committee.
Analysts say her defiance may be essential for survival; Trump won her Washington district by roughly three points in 2024, and she first secured the seat by toppling an incumbent Republican.
Gluesenkamp Perez poised for a third term after beating Sen. John Braun
She now faces Republican Washington state Senator John Braun, a former Navy captain who co‑runs Braun Northwest, a manufacturer of emergency vehicles, in a race projected to be much closer than her previous wins.
Braun presents a mainstream GOP image, contrasting with his predecessor Joe Kent, who stumbled over ties to far‑right groups and later resigned as Trump’s National Counterterrorism Center director over Middle East policy disputes.
More than $20 million has been poured into the contest, according to the Washington Standard, underscoring its strategic value for both parties.
Elizabeth Elkind, a Fox News Digital politics reporter, leads coverage of the House race; she previously contributed to the Daily Mail and CBS News and can be reached at elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
