Democrat flips Washington congressional district as Trump-endorsed Joe Kent refuses to concede

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has turned Washington state's 3rd Congressional District blue, but her Trump-endorsed opponent, Republican Joe Kent, refuses to concede the race.

The Associated Press on Saturday called the race in favor of Perez, who is coming in with 50.8% of the vote to Kent's 49.2% with 70% of the ballots counted. 

Less than 5,000 votes behind Perez, Kent remained confident that he could still win. 

"What the media says is irrelevant, its another narrative designed to stop voters from ballot curing & to force me to concede — not gonna happen," he tweeted after the wire service called the race for Perez. "Ballot curing" happens when officials set aside a questionable ballot and contact voters to allow them to fix their mistakes.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Herrera Beutler, who has represented the 3rd Congressional District since 2011, lost her primary in August to Kent.  

"This race was a bellwether for the direction of our country. Joe Kent gave voice to some of the darkest impulses in our politics: white nationalism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism," Perez tweeted after the media declared her the winner. "Southwest Washington looked them straight in the eye and said no — not here, not now, not ever."