Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Faces Heated Town Hall in Vancouver

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez faced a tense and at times hostile crowd at her Vancouver, Washington town hall, where hundreds of constituents lined up, with many unable to enter due to capacity limits. The congresswoman, who has occasionally broken with her party, defended her controversial vote for the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote—a measure supported by Republicans and only a handful of Democrats. Gluesenkamp Perez argued that the bill aims to strengthen trust in elections and emphasized she does not support noncitizens voting, but acknowledged concerns about potential disenfranchisement raised by critics. She also noted the bill is unlikely to become law due to opposition in the Senate and said she would prefer her own legislation, the Let America Vote Act. The event highlighted the challenges faced by moderate Democrats in swing districts, as Gluesenkamp Perez was repeatedly interrupted and heckled by constituents frustrated with her positions. Her efforts to balance party loyalty with district priorities reflect ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party.