Facebook post saying Braun dropping 3rd Dist. bid was fake

State Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said he is still running for the 3rd Congressional District seat despite a fake Facebook post claiming otherwise.

Braun, 58, threw his hat into the 2026 race for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District seat, currently held by Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, earlier this month.

Braun appeared to have done a complete about-face Wednesday morning after a now-deleted Facebook post, purportedly written by the senator, said he was suspending his campaign and throwing his support to another Republican candidate.

“Senator Braun here,” the Facebook post said. “I am officially announcing that I am suspending my campaign for Washington’s Third Congressional District. The treatment I have received from the local county ‘Republican’ Parties has been truly disgraceful. They have no intention of winning this seat and are focused solely on supporting The President.”

Contacted by phone Wednesday morning, Braun said the post, which appeared to be connected to his personal Facebook page, was bogus.

“It was a fake site,” Braun said. “We got hold of Facebook, and it’s been taken down now.”

The senator said his account on X, formerly Twitter, was hacked last week.

Braun said he is looking into the recent hacks to his social media sites.

Kelly Moyer: 360-735-4674; [email protected]