CAMAS, WA – Camas, Washington was recently named one of the top 50 cities in the US to live by Money.com. According to Money, they sought out cities that offered affordability, a strong job market, good schools and “a palpable spirit.” Camas’ high student test scores, downtown preservation efforts and job growth all contributed to the city’s selection.
Leslie Lewallen, a Camas City Council Member and candidate for WA-03, gave the following statement regarding this exciting announcement:
“I was so excited to see our beautiful town of Camas named in the top 50 cities to live in the United States. This selection is a testament to the work and dedication of groups like the Downtown Camas Association and the Camas City Council. As a member of the City Council, it has been my honor to work on issues that matter to the residents of Camas – like limiting the size and scope of our government, opposing the implementation of new taxes, keeping the cost of living down, fighting for our schools, and delivering on restoring law and order, which led to Camas having the best safety record in the state! The residents of Washington’s Third Congressional district deserve so much better than what they’ve received from Congresswoman Perez; and as their next Representative, I will continue to do the hard work and deliver results for all of Southwest Washington!”
CAMAS, WA – Today, Chad Magendanz, a former Washington State Representative and candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced his endorsement of Leslie Lewallen for WA-03.
“As a former state representative, I know the importance of electing effective leaders who can work with their colleagues to craft legislation that will pass both chambers and get signed into law. Leslie has a proven track record of legislative success and has served her constituents with dedication and passion. Additionally, as the former ranking member of the House Education Committee and a current computer science teacher, I am keenly aware of the challenges facing our schools and want our elected leaders to fight not just for funding but for the tools that will set our kids up to thrive in life. Leslie is an outspoken champion for improved resources and parental rights within our education system and I know she will take that same commitment with her to Washington DC,” said Magendanz on announcing his endorsement.
Chad Magendanz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching from Central Washington University. After college, Chad served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for 12 years as a nuclear submariner before moving to the civilian side, where he joined the team at Microsoft. After 20 years of dedicated service in various capacities at that company, Chad joined Voter Science, where he currently serves as their Chief Technology Officer. Chad is also a full-time teacher of AP Computer Science classes in the Bellevue School District. He and his wife of 35 years, Galen, have two boys and reside on Tiger Mountain.
“I am proud to accept this endorsement from Chad Magendanz,” said Lewallen. “I have always respected Chad’s unwavering commitment to improving education in our state, and his ability to build coalitions to craft quality legislation that improves the lives of all Washingtonians. Like Chad, I look forward to serving the voters of Southwest Washington with passion and determination while working to address the most pressing issues facing our state- crime, addiction, a faltering economy, and failing schools!”
The Lewallen campaign continues to receive endorsements from a dynamic group of supporters from every walk of life and background- demonstrating, yet again, that Leslie is the best candidate to represent the diverse voters of Southwest Washington. While Marie Gluesenkamp Perez actively votes against the interests of WA-03 constituents, Leslie Lewallen will fight to show voters that there is a better path forward.
“Democrats likely need to win nine of 10 Toss-up races for the majority.”
CAMAS, WA – On Wednesday, Roll Call ran an article laying out the math for the November elections, and the major obstacle facing Democrats as they seek to regain control of the House. One of the races highlighted was WA-03, where “Republicans largely stayed away from the general election after Republican Joe Kent kept GOP Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler from winning one of the top two spots in the primary.” This narrative supports the message of the Lewallen campaign: it is imperative that Republicans regain control of Washington’s 3rd Congressional district seat; and that starts with picking a candidate who can bring Republicans back to the ballot box – something Joe Kent was unable to accomplish!
. . . Democrats have a path to the House majority. It just involves winning virtually all of the Toss-up races.
On the other hand, even though Republicans are seeing their current House majority shrink with each passing resignation, the GOP is better-positioned to maintain control of the House a little more than seven months before Election Day.
Currently, the math is easier for Republicans if they win the races they are currently favored to win. The 187 races rated as Solid Republican by Inside Elections, added to the 29 races rated as Likely, Lean, or Tilt Republican gets the GOP to 216 seats. That means Republicans need to win just two of the 10 Toss-up races to get to 218.
The math is more difficult for Democrats. Adding the 174 races rated as Solid Democratic to the 35 races rated as Likely, Lean, or Tilt Democratic by Inside Elections gets the Democrats to 209 seats. That means Democrats need to win nine of 10 Toss-up races to get to 218.
. . . So how difficult is Democrats’ path in the Toss-up races?
Usually, the easiest way to gain seats is to hold your own first. That doesn’t look too difficult considering Biden won nine of the 10 Toss-up districts in 2020, including three seats with a Democratic incumbent
. . . But Biden won those districts with an average of 51 percent in 2020, and there’s no guarantee he will do it again as an unpopular incumbent seeking reelection. With a high correlation between presidential and House results (just 16 districts split their ticket in 2020), that will make it more difficult for Democratic candidates to hold those seats.
The only Toss-up race in a district that President Donald Trump carried is Washington’s 3rd District, represented by Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. She won by less than 1 point in 2022 while Republicans largely stayed away from the general election after Republican Joe Kent kept GOP Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler from winning one of the top two spots in the primary. Republicans will go after Gluesenkamp Perez this time around and Trump may do even better in the district.
. . . This down-to-the-last race scenario also assumes that the presidential race remains close and competitive and neither candidate veers too far from their 2020 performance. But if the 2024 presidential race gets lopsided in either direction, that will affect the Toss-up races and the entire House battlefield.
CAMAS, WA – A new video surfaced yesterday showing Congresswoman Perez refusing to acknowledge or apologize for her extreme comments regarding the situation at our border. This comes just as a new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll shows 36% of voters believe immigration is “the most important issue facing the country.”
Leslie Lewallen, a Camas City Council Member, former state judicial law clerk and candidate for WA-03, gave the following statement regarding this decision:
“Congresswoman Perez has spent the last two years ignoring the situation at our southern border and pretending like a crisis doesn’t exist. In fact, one of her first votes as a Member of Congress was to oppose the “Secure the Border Act” which would have secured our border and slowed the flow of fentanyl into our country. Now, with polls showing that voters are very concerned about the border, the Congresswoman is trying to change her tune. The voters in WA-03 deserve so much better in their elected representatives. They need a leader who prioritizes our national security all the time – not just when their reelection is on the line!”
“I want to give a voice to the people of Southwest Washington!”
CAMAS, WA – Over the weekend, The Columbian reported on Camas City Council Member Leslie Lewallen’s bid for Washington’s Third Congressional District as a Republican, and the grand opening of her new campaign offices in downtown Camas. The report details Lewallen’s deep roots in the district, highlights her fight to empower the voices of southwest Washington, and outlines the main pillars of Lewallen’s campaign and why she is the only candidate that can defeat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in November.
. . . “Late last summer, I entered this race with passion and a vision. In the past six months, we’ve grown from a small group huddled around my kitchen table to a broad and dynamic coalition of supporters determined to reclaim this seat,” Lewallen said in a statement. “In the 2022 primary, over 100,000 voters said ‘no’ to Joe Kent’s extreme positions, and he went on to lose the election in November.”
. . . Lewallen argues that Kent had his chance in 2022. Now, she’s running “for everyday Washingtonians who feel like their voice has been taken from them,” she said.
. . .”I want to give voice to the people of Southwest Washington,” she said. “Anything that silences voters, I am against.”
Lewallen decided to run for Camas City Council at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
. . . “When the schools shut down in 2020, my children fell apart,” the mother of four said. “I saw the people and the values in the country I love just kind of falling apart and disintegrating, and I decided at that point I was going to do something about it.”
Lewallen’s platform focuses on addressing homelessness, addiction and crime while limiting government budgets and promoting sustainability. She said she is running for the next generation so they don’t have to live with the problems that people in Southwest Washington face today.
. . .”Leslie is a true leader,” Camas City Council member and Lewallen supporter Jennifer Senescu said. “She’s more than just a politician. She has deep roots here, and she really cares about the people in this district.”
CAMAS, WA – Today, Tia Robertson, Washougal City Council Member, announced her endorsement of Leslie Lewallen for WA-03.
“As a member of the Washougal City Council and a small business owner, I am honored to be able to endorse Leslie Lewallen for Congress. Leslie has been a tireless advocate for her constituents- working to enhance parental rights in our education system, address the homelessness crisis impacting our area, and restrict the size and scope of government control over the lives of Camas residents. Like myself, Leslie answers directly to the people who elected her; and I know she will take that same approach with her when she becomes our new Representative in November,” said Tia on announcing her endorsement.
Tia was sworn in to the Washougal City Council in January of 2024. She is a small business owner with more than twenty years of experience in the service/management industry. As an entrepreneur, Tia is committed to supporting other entrepreneurs and those in the agricultural sector. Tia and her husband have two young children, and hope to see them pursue a life of service – leaving the world a better place than they found it.
“I am proud to accept this endorsement from Tia Robertson,” said Lewallen. “Tia’s commitment to her community, and desire to serve its residents is what we need in our elected leaders. Like Tia, I look forward to serving the voters of Southwest Washington with the same passion and determination while addressing our most pressing issues – crime, addiction, a faltering economy and failing schools!”
The Lewallen campaign continues to receive endorsements from a dynamic group of supporters from every walk of life and background- demonstrating, yet again, that Leslie is the best candidate to represent the diverse voters of Southwest Washington. While Marie Gluesenkamp Perez actively votes against the interests of WA-03 constituents, Leslie Lewallen will fight to show voters that there is a better path forward.
CAMAS, WA – The Lewallen for Congress campaign released a statement today praising the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision that ruled Colorado lacked the authority to remove the former President from their state’s primary ballot.
Leslie Lewallen, a Camas City Council Member, former state judicial law clerk and candidate for WA-03, gave the following statement regarding this decision:
“The decision by Colorado’s Supreme Court, declaring the former President ineligible to run, was nothing more than blatant judicial activism. In that ruling, four activist justices twisted the Fourteenth Amendment into a pretzel to use as a pretext to remove a political opponent from the ballot. Today’s unanimous opinion by the United States Supreme Court is a huge win for the rule of law. It sends a unified message that Congress, not states, is responsible for enforcing Section 3 ‘against federal officeholders and candidates.’ I am running to give a voice to the people of Southwest Washington who feel their voice has been ignored; and ANYTHING that silences voters is something I am against. Today’s ruling is a victory for Americans, and the message is clear: let the people vote!”
CAMAS, WA – The Lewallen for Congress campaign today announced that Leslie has endorsed Donald Trump in the Republican Presidential primary.
Leslie Lewallen, a Camas City Council Member and candidate for WA-03 gave the following statement regarding her endorsement of Donald Trump:
“I truly believe that primaries are a crucial component of our electoral system, and to curtail that process only serves to disenfranchise the voters. I commend President Trump for requesting the RNC to allow the process to play out, and giving the people the right to decide who will represent them. That is a model that every state party should take note of and implement within their own elections. With President Trump winning all of the early contests, it is clear he is the nominee of our party. For the sake of our country, it is time for Republicans to consolidate and focus our efforts on defeating President Biden in November!”
Leslie is a strong supporter of the primary process, believing they are good for the party and help forge stronger candidates, better policies and better outcomes for our country. In January, shortly after the New Hampshire primary, the Republican National Committee (RNC) wanted to officially name President Trump their presumptive nominee. At that time, Trump declined their offer, explaining on Truth Social that for the sake of the party the RNC should not follow through with their plan, but instead allow the primary process to play out and make him earn the nomination “the old fashioned” way. One month later, President Trump has done what no other non-incumbent has done in modern political history: decisively win all four early nominating contests.
At this point, the voters have had the opportunity to make their voices heard, and there is no longer a clear path to the nomination for any other candidates. It is time to unite as a party, and rally around the Presidential candidate who will get this country back on track after four disastrous years under Joe Biden’s leadership.
President Biden’s approval ratings sit only one point higher than Jimmy Carter’s at this same point in his Presidency; and nine months later Carter lost his reelection to President Reagan. Under President Biden’s leadership, Americans have experienced chaos at the border with 7.2 million immigrants crossing illegally into this country. That is more than the populations of 36 states! Additionally, in 2022, #Bidenomics contributed to the worst inflation in a generation; with the lingering effects in the form of high prices still crushing American families. Finally, despite bragging on the campaign trail about his years of foreign policy experience, President Biden has proven himself an ineffective leader on the world stage which has only emboldened our enemies and led to destabilization in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. America cannot afford four more years of chaos. Therefore, it is time for Republicans to unite and ensure that in January of 2025 there is a new leader in the White House!
CAMAS, WA – Last Friday, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez made a drastic departure from her normal cavalier attitude regarding the situation at our southern border. With the release of her new bill, “Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act,” she seeks to both rehabilitate her image and assert a new commitment to maintaining a secure border while supporting our allies.
This new Marie Gluesenkamp Perez will come as a shock to those who follow her positions on the border and foreign policy. Last year, she participated in an interview on Pod Save America where she downplayed the situation at the border, claiming “nobody stays up at night worrying about the southern border.” More recently, the Congresswoman emphasized that she ran for Congress to get a right-to-repair bill passed, not to fix foreign problems like bringing peace to the Middle East.
Leslie Lewallen, a Camas City Council Member and candidate for WA-03 made the following statement concerning Representative Perez’s new priorities:
“Rep. Perez has had a huge change of tune on the border lately – it must be an election year! I guess she realized that the border was, in fact, keeping people awake at night. However, any border bill that doesn’t stop the flow of illegal migrants through some sort of physical or electronic barrier isn’t enough. Additionally, WA-03 needs a leader who is able to recognize a threat and act immediately to address it – not one who waits until an election year to prioritize our national security!”
Leslie has been an outspoken advocate for securing the border, addressing our broken immigration system, and curbing the flow of fentanyl that is decimating Washington communities.
CAMAS, WA – Yesterday, the Chronicle released the second half of its wide-ranging profile on Leslie Lewallen, Camas City Council Member and Republican candidate for Washington’s Third Congressional District. In this installment, Leslie was candid about the pregnancy complication that almost cost her her life, and why she feels like the conversation around abortion needs to change. Leslie also made the case for why 2022 was Joe Kent’s best shot and why WA-03 needs a new leader with a proven track record of winning to take on Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
. . . “I’m running right now because we should never have lost the seat,” said Lewallen, 49, an attorney and Camas City Council member. “If we lose the seat again, we could lose it forever. And this seat could determine whether Republicans keep the majority in the House of Representatives.”
. . .Lewallen described the freshman Democratic incumbent as a “tax-and-spend liberal.”
“She seems to go on all these victory tours about how much more money she’s spending when we have a $34 trillion debt right now,” Lewallen said. “That’s not helping the American people by spending more money. What we need is somebody that can come in and start making these cuts right away. Because I want a better America for my children and my future grandchildren. And the way that we’re spending money right now, it’s not sustainable.”
Lewallen, who said she’s been open about her occupation and financing, described herself as personally pro-life while allowing exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
“But I do think the narrative and the conversations around this subject need to change,” she said. “We need to be more compassionate.”
With her fourth child, Lewallen nearly died. The baby flatlined.
. . . She’s glad it didn’t come down to saving her life or the baby’s, but it could have.
“Given what happened to me, my heart goes out to other families who have these situations that really impact the way that they view this issue,” Lewallen said.
She also recalled . . . suffering a miscarriage during her second trimester. Her baby’s heartbeat stopped but the baby didn’t pass on its own, so she needed a D&C, or dilation and curettage surgical procedure.
. . . During the 2022 campaign, when Gluesenkamp Perez said she had a miscarriage that required an abortion, Lewallen grew infuriated with her conflating a D&C with an abortion, which stops a beating heart.
“Miscarriage is vastly different than an abortion, and I found it offensive,” Lewallen said. “It was a slap in the face to a lot of women who have really struggled with a miscarriage and had to have a D&C. But she purposely said abortion, and I didn’t like that.”
. . . “So I’ve been faced with a lot of these questions and a lot of these tough decisions that women have to face,” she said, adding that the abortion narrative offends her. “I think we really need to help women and their needs. The shame needs to be lifted from a lot of things.”
. . . “I’m giving people an alternative,” she said. “Like I said, Joe ran and lost in 2022. That was his best shot. He’s going to lose again, given the history. We need to pick somebody that’s a fresh new face with a proven track record of winning, that has the resume and the knowledge of the local issues that can hit the ground running and actually work to fix things. I want to go there, fix the problems, hop on a plane and get back to my family. I’m not there for performative politics.“I would never have entered this race if I didn’t think I had a clear path for victory. And I am absolutely certain that we will win.”
