The Axe Files with David Axelrod · The Institute of Politics & CNN Podcasts

Ep. 603 — Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

·52 min·4 clips

Perez challenges Democrats: losing a logging job is as existential as climate change for working families.

This episode of The Axe Files features host David Axelrod in conversation with Democratic Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington's 3rd district. Axelrod introduces her as a thoughtful, independent-minded Democrat who owns an auto repair shop and has twice won a district Donald Trump carried. He notes her perspective is particularly relevant for Democrats analyzing the 2024 election results. Gluesenkamp Perez details her upbringing by a Mexican father who lost his family bus factory and a mother from a Washington logging family. She was homeschooled by deeply conservative, evangelical parents in Texas who subscribed to *World Magazine* and discouraged her from attending college. Her first political event was an anti-abortion protest, and her early worldview was shaped by witnessing timber industry job losses during summers in Washington. She worked at a horse barn from age eight, charging $1.50 to muck stalls, and experienced loneliness and social awkwardness, including being spit on when she briefly attended public school. A surprising insight is her critique of how both political parties dismiss local expertise, using the example of forestry science conflicting with generational land management knowledge. She references writer Wendell Berry's idea that a farmer's grandmotherly advice can be more valuable than a soil science degree. Gluesenkamp Perez argues that "staffer bros" in Congress lack the specific understanding to legislate effectively on complex issues like abortion or environmental policy. Her journey to Reed College, a famously progressive school, stemmed from a rebellious feeling that public school bathroom passes degraded her sense of agency. The conversation is analytical and reflective, blending personal narrative with political strategy. Axelrod adopts an interview style that is curious and respectful, drawing connections between her biography and her political philosophy. Listeners interested in the future of the Democratic Party, rural politics, or authentic cross-cultural perspectives will find this episode compelling. Those seeking partisan rhetoric or quick soundbites might find its nuanced, personal tone less engaging.

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