Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez holds town hall in South Bend

U.S. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez made a visit to North Pacific County on Tuesday as the start of a regional town hall series within the 3rd Congressional District that she represents. 

Gluesenkamp Perez spoke at the Willapa Bay Community Center in South Bend to the crowd of approximately 75 about efforts she is making in Washington DC that she feels will benefit Pacific County. 

K.C. Johnson, Raymond School District Superintendent, served as moderator for the event, asking questions submitted by the crowd to the legislator.

Elected in 2022 and still within her first year in office, this is believed to be the first event since taking office that the first-term congresswoman had made a trip to South Bend.

The Representative spoke about the reasons she initially ran for office, including struggles she and her husband felt when they worked to purchase property for their auto repair and machine shop instead of renting, and the issues that came from working with the federal government for assistance.

Many of Perez’ answers focused on trade jobs, rural communities, advocacy for inclusion of more rural areas having voices in federal legislation, and support for small businesses. 

In July, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez invited Ilwaco resident and small business owner Josh Phillips to testify before a House Small Business Committee hearing, examining the challenges facing small businesses in rural areas.

The 3rd Congressional District represents Pacific, Lewis, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, and Skamania counties, along with a portion of Thurston county.

The town hall series will continue elsewhere in the district, with stops scheduled for Packwood and Toledo in August, as well as a date scheduled for Thurston County in September.