Photo: leg.wa.govWA · Officeholder
RState Senator · District 20
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: U.S. House · Washington's 3rd District
John Braun is the Republican candidate for Washington's 3rd District. A retired Navy captain with 31 years in the submarine force and its reserve, he is president of the family-founded emergency vehicle manufacturer Braun Northwest in Chehalis. He has served in the Washington State Senate since 2013 and leads the chamber's Republican caucus. His campaign website says he is running to bring a manufacturer's discipline to Washington, D.C.[1][2][3][4]
Braun was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1967. According to his campaign website, his father, uncle and grandfather began building ambulances in Ohio in 1972; the family moved to Lewis County, Washington, and in 1986 his parents and their sons founded Braun Northwest in Chehalis.[2][5] He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington in 1989 on a Naval ROTC scholarship.[1][2][5] He served in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve for 31 years, including seven years on active duty in the submarine force, and rose to the rank of captain; his campaign website says his final assignment was Director of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Reserve Component.[1][2][4]
Braun later earned a master's degree in manufacturing engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan in 1999.[1][2] That year he returned to Braun Northwest as general manager and vice president, and he became president in 2006, according to his campaign website. The company builds emergency vehicles and says it has about 350 employees.[2][3][6] In 2012 he was elected to the Washington State Senate, defeating fellow Republican incumbent Dan Swecker, and took office in January 2013 representing the 20th Legislative District.[1][3][5]
In the Senate, Braun chaired the Ways and Means Committee in 2017 and, per his campaign website, helped lead the 2017-19 operating budget. In the 2023-24 session he was Vice Chair of the Rules Committee and a member of the Ways and Means, Housing, and Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs committees.[1][2] His Senate Republican colleagues elected him caucus leader in December 2020, according to his campaign website, and re-elected him in 2024.[2][4] He announced his campaign for the 3rd District seat in August 2025. KUOW described him as a Navy veteran and business owner from Centralia; his campaign website says he lives on a farm in rural Lewis County with his wife, Marlo, and has four adult children.[2][4]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned
Most contested
Concerning immigrant worker protections.
Mar 5, 2026 · Failed 22–25 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs and providing tax relief for critical access pharmacies.)
Feb 28, 2026 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Eliminating the Washington employee ownership program.
Apr 26, 2025 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Concerning immigrant worker protections.
Mar 5, 2026 · Failed 22–25 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Concerning agencies, firefighters, prosecutors, and general or limited authority law enforcement, extending eligibility for employment to all United States citizens or persons legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.
Mar 9, 2026 · Passed 28–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Concerning superior court clerk fees.
Apr 26, 2025 · Passed 27–21 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs and providing tax relief for critical access pharmacies.)
Feb 28, 2026 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.
Apr 15, 2025 · Passed 28–20 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Establishing an abortion savings program.
Feb 28, 2026 · Passed 29–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Implementing K-12 savings and efficiencies.
Apr 26, 2025 · Passed 26–22 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Increasing funding to the education legacy trust account by creating a more progressive rate structure for the capital gains tax and estate tax.
Apr 24, 2025 · Passed 27–21 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Implementing efficiencies and programming changes in public education.
Mar 12, 2026 · Passed 26–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Expanding and funding the foreclosure mediation program.
Apr 24, 2025 · Passed 27–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Providing state funding for essential affordable housing programs.
Mar 11, 2025 · Passed 27–21 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement.
Apr 10, 2025 · Failed 23–26 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Concerning the Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead endorsement program.
Apr 26, 2025 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Concerning the clean fuels program.
Apr 15, 2025 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrofluorocarbons.
Apr 15, 2025 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Concerning the clean fuels program.
Apr 15, 2025 · Passed 25–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Concerning transportation network companies.
Apr 14, 2025 · Passed 27–21 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Concerning the salaries of ferry system collective bargaining units.
Apr 15, 2025 · Passed 29–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.
Feb 28, 2026 · Passed 26–23 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Concerning protection of the voter registration database.
Feb 5, 2026 · Passed 29–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Establishing data and personal safety protections within areas of public accommodation for all Washington residents.
Feb 12, 2026 · Passed 30–19 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Requesting an investigation into the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi.
Feb 17, 2026 · Passed 30–17 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Ensuring access to state benefits and opportunities for veterans, uniformed service members, and military spouses.
Mar 9, 2026 · Passed 48–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Recognizing the tremendous sacrifices made by our military veterans by phasing down the disability rating requirements to ensure more disabled veterans are eligible for property tax relief.
Apr 16, 2025 · Passed 48–1 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 24 of 381 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Jobs & cost of living (7), Rights & public safety (4), Health & care (4)
Residential dev./zones
What it does: Concerning residential development in commercial and mixed-use zones.
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 28–2, Republicans 7–12
Mar 10, 2026Official record ↗
Tenant cooling devices
What it does: Concerning renters' and mobile home occupants' ability to install portable cooling devices.
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 7–12
Mar 10, 2026Official record ↗
Accounts
What it does: Concerning accounts.
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 7–12
Mar 9, 2026Official record ↗
Waste to energy facilities
What it does: Concerning fair treatment of waste to energy facilities under the climate commitment act.
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 9–10
Mar 4, 2026Official record ↗
County clerk fees
What it does: Concerning county clerk fees.
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 29–0, Republicans 4–15
Mar 3, 2026Official record ↗
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
With most of their party · Failed 22–25 · Yes 22–No 25 · Democrats 3–25, Republicans 19–0
Mar 5, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 27–19 · Yes 27–No 19 · Democrats 27–0, Republicans 0–19
Apr 24, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 25–23 · Yes 25–No 23 · Democrats 25–4, Republicans 0–19
Feb 28, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 25–23 · Yes 25–No 23 · Democrats 25–4, Republicans 0–19
Apr 26, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 25–23 · Yes 25–No 23 · Democrats 25–4, Republicans 0–19
Apr 26, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 25–23 · Yes 25–No 23 · Democrats 25–4, Republicans 0–19
Apr 25, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 25–23 · Yes 25–No 23 · Democrats 25–4, Republicans 0–19
Apr 22, 2025Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed 25–23 · Yes 25–No 23 · Democrats 25–4, Republicans 0–19
Apr 15, 2025Official record ↗
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate
Using evidence-based instructional practices in reading and writing literacy for public elementary students.
Motion: Final Passage as Recommended by Conference Committee
Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House
Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs and providing tax relief for critical access pharmacies.)
Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House
Implementing efficiencies and programming changes in public education.
Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House
Undoing the recent changes to the estate tax. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Undoing certain changes to the estate tax.)
Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House
Advancing transportation electrification by expanding access to electric vehicles already being sold in Washington and increasing associated funding.
Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House
Concerning the electric transmission system.
Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage
Supporting wildfire mitigation by modifying RCW 82.04.29005, concerning taxes on loan interest.
Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage
Concerning taxes imposed on insurers operating within the state.
Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage
Modifying cannabis producer, processor, and retailer license fees. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning cannabis license fees.)
Showing 10 of 678 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.
