CAMAS, WA – The Lewallen for Congress campaign today announced that Leslie has officially filed to run for Washington’s third congressional district seat.
“As a mother, I watched my children, family and friends suffer the damaging effects of COVID policies; and after the results of the 2022 general election, where we lost a very winnable seat because we had the wrong candidate in the race, I knew I had to act. I ran for the Camas City Council and won; and now I see the need to stand up again because the status quo is failing us. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez masquerades as a moderate when in reality she’s anti-parent, anti-small business, anti-police and pro Anitfa. Joe Kent had his best shot in 2022 and he lost, despite having the endorsement of President Trump, the WA GOP and support from the GOP establishment. The voters of WA-03 deserve a Representative with a proven track record of success, who will stand up to the extremist Democratic policies in DC and work to secure our border, lower costs, and defend parental rights. I am the only Republican in this race who can win back this seat; and I invite the voters of Southwest Washington will join me – there is too much at stake in this election to repeat the mistakes of 2022!”
Leslie is a 5th generation Washingtonian, mom to four, and current Camas City Councilor. As an attorney, Leslie has worked as a prosecutor as well as a property rights and environmental lawyer. As a sitting city council member, Leslie has worked tirelessly to oppose tax increases, reign in out-of-control spending, and pass budgets that respect taxpayer’s hard-earned money. Leslie’s campaign is fueled by a hope for a better future and a belief that, together, we can overcome the challenges facing Southwest Washington.
CAMAS, WA – On Tuesday, The Columbian published an article highlighting an event Leslie Lewallen was invited to attend by the Southwest Washington Federated Republican Women’s group. Leslie always welcomes any opportunity to meet with voters and answer questions – whether they be about her background, qualifications, or plans to help Southwest Washington!
. . . Lewallen began by describing her deep roots in Washington.
. . . Then, she explained why she is running to represent the 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She said she is running to “secure the southern border” and to “put parents back in the driver’s seat with respect to their children’s education.” She also wants to ensure that Republicans flip the seat to protect their majority in the House, she said.
. . . Following opening remarks, attendees questioned Lewallen about her vision for the district and her record as a prosecuting attorney and Camas city councilor.
“. . .The precedent set in ‘Martin’ must be overturned or the Court must provide clarity on ‘the governing legal standard.”
CAMAS, WA – On Saturday, Clark County Today published an op-ed written by Leslie Lewallen in which she discussed the impact of the 9th Circuit’s rulings in both Martin v. Boise and Grants Pass v. Johnson. These rulings have significantly hindered attempts to regulate homelessness which has led to cities being overwhelmed by the drugs, crime and public health concerns that arise from these populations. The time has come for the Supreme Court to provide clarity on what recourse is left to states when it comes to managing homeless populations.
Major cities across the country are being crushed by growing homeless population
. . . The status quo is untenable. For cities to meet their obligations to their citizens, the precedent set in Martin must be overturned or the Court must provide clarity on “the governing legal standard.” Additionally, there must be an honest conversation about how to effectively and compassionately address the multifaceted homelessness crisis.
The seeds of Grants Pass v. Johnson were planted in the Ninth’s 2018 decision in Martin v. City of Boise in which the court ruled that the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment prevented cities from criminally prosecuting individuals for sleeping outside when shelter space was unavailable. However, the court also emphasized that it intended its holding to be narrow, writing that their ruling was not to suggest “that a jurisdiction with insufficient shelter can never criminalize the act of sleeping outside.”
. . . For states, cities and municipalities, much of the frustration surrounding these two cases stems from the lack of clarity provided by the Ninth Circuit as to how their rulings were to be applied. In the absence of clarity, lower district courts have stepped in to define the limits for them. Unfortunately, as Grants Pass discovered, district court rulings have broadened what was originally intended to be a narrow decision, leaving cities unsure what actions they can take without risking litigation.
For the sake of the cities being overwhelmed by homeless populations, it is incumbent upon the Supreme Court to determine if every attempt to manage and regulate vagrancy constitutes cruelty under the Eighth Amendment. If so, then it is time for the High Court to give clarity where thus far confusion has reigned by detailing what recourse is left to states who seek to manage the crime, drugs and public health concerns that arise from these populations.
Implicit within the rulings of Martin and Grants Pass is the tacit promotion by these liberal justices of the failed “Housing First” agenda so popular among progressive bureaucrats.
. . . Far too often, “Housing First” becomes “Housing Only” and the root issues that led to a person becoming homeless are left undiagnosed and untreated. Before spending more money or building more shelters, elected officials must define the metrics of success for any policies they wish to implement. The universal goal of any homeless policy should be to exit people from the state of homelessness – not build a homeless industrial complex!
Connecting people with the services they need – whether they want those services or not – must be the metric we use to gauge the success of any new homeless policy. While addressing immediate needs – shelter, food, clothing – is important, the approach taken so far clearly has not worked. It’s time to consider tying access to those immediate needs to the acceptance of treatment for the underlying causes that led the person to the streets.
. . . State and local governments must coordinate and utilize available federal resources to expand the spectrum of services available through shelters and outreach programs; and rethink their methods for encouraging those in need to accept treatment for their underlying root causes.
. . . Today’s housing crisis did not happen in a vacuum. Clarity from courts combined with a holistic approach to helping people leave the streets are two necessary steps to turning this crisis around. Housing alone is not enough, because there is NOTHING compassionate about providing shelter while still allowing someone to suffer.
CAMAS, WA – Today, Brad Thurman, the current Cowlitz County Sheriff, announced his endorsement of Leslie Lewallen for WA-03.
“As the Cowlitz County Sheriff, I know the impact elected officials can have on law enforcement agencies’ abilities to hire and retain good officers. Movements like “Defund the Police” and legislation that reduces penalties for committing crimes or possessing drugs make it harder for law enforcement to keep our streets and communities safe. I am endorsing Leslie Lewallen for Washington’s 3rd Congressional district because, as a former prosecutor, I know she will fight to uphold law and order while ensuring that our officers have everything they need to keep our communities safe.”
Brad Thurman has been in law enforcement for 36 years, the entirety of which has been spent serving in the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department in a variety of positions. Prior to his election as Sheriff, Brad served in patrol, deputy, detective, sergeant and drug investigator roles. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Administration of Justice/Sociology from Portland State University, and previously served as the Chairman of the Cowlitz County GOP.
“I am proud to accept this endorsement from Sheriff Thurman,” said Lewallen. “Brad’s entire career has been spent serving the residents of Cowlitz County. The core values of his department- leadership, excellence, service and sacrifice- perfectly encapsulate the work ethic he and his officers exhibit every day. Like Sheriff Thurman, I look forward to serving the voters of Southwest Washington with passion and determination while working to address the most pressing issues facing our region- crime, addiction, and a crisis at our southern border that touches the residents of WA-03 every day!”
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.
“This heavy-handed tactic risks fracturing our party further and losing more winnable seats for Republicans.”
CAMAS, WA – On Saturday, The Columbian published an op-ed written by Leslie Lewallen in which she lays out the risks associated with the Washington State Republican Party’s attempts to control who appears on the ballot in the state’s August primary. “Circumventing the electorate by trying to manipulate who appears on the ballot at the state convention risks endorsing a candidate who does not represent the views or needs of the district they seek to represent.”
. . .This election cycle, the Republican Party of Washington has taken the familiar theme of unity to new extremes.
The party is attempting, in the spirit of “unity,” to use the state convention to whittle down the field of candidates before voters ever have a chance to cast a ballot. Far from bringing Washingtonians together, this heavy-handed tactic risks fracturing our party further and losing more winnable seats for Republicans.
Expecting candidates and voters to fall in line with the endorsements made by a self-selected sampling of party representatives is undemocratic and antithetical to the robust electoral process envisioned by our Founding Fathers.
. . .Circumventing the electorate by trying to manipulate who appears on the ballot at the state convention risks endorsing a candidate who does not represent the views or needs of the district they seek to represent. It also opens the process up to undue influence by candidates seeking to strong-arm endorsements outside the prescribed processes.
This undue influence came to bear at the state committee meeting in August, when the rules were sidestepped to secure a premature “endorsement” for my Republican opponent in this congressional race.
A mere 40 people ignored the will of more than 100,000 3rd Congressional District voters who clearly demonstrated in 2022 that they wanted a Republican who wasn’t Joe Kent to represent them.
. . . For more than 30 years, there hasn’t been one federal or statewide rematch in Washington state that has resulted in a flipped outcome. History is not on Joe Kent’s side, and ignoring the will of voters isn’t going to lead to different results this time around.
Unlike Joe Kent, I know what it is like to win an election and represent voters, and it’s not by circumventing their voice.
As such, I will not be participating in a convention that has shown itself willing to support a failed candidate over the concerns of Southwest Washington voters.
I do not think the process, as it has played out, reflects the will of the electorate; and it is the electorate that I want to hear from.
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.”
