A close-up black and white photo of Joe Kent wearing a suit and tie and looking to the right of the frame. The camera's flash produces a shadow that partially obscures the face of a man over Kent's left shoulder, revealing his eyes to be looking in the same direction as Kent's. Another many stands nearby, his hands folded calmly in front of him as he observes the scene; his shirt displays an indistinct seal with the words "BLUE LINE STAFF". A black and white photograph of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez speaking at a podium, addressing an audience in a large auditorium. A black and white photo of two handwritten protest signs on a glass door. One sign displays a hammer and sickle drawing with the words "We The People C U Now Traitor", with the letters C, U, N, and T underlined. The other sign reads "Was The 30 Pieces Of Silver Worth It Jaime?"

Following the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, Jaime Herrera Beutler was one of ten Republicans who joined House Democrats in voting to impeach President Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection. The backlash from the Trump supporters among Beutler's local constituents was swift.

In one of the first pro-Trump events following January 6, Trump supporters picketed Rep. Herrera Beutler's District Office on February 20, 2021, in Vancouver, Washington. Joey Gibson—a right-wing agitator and founder of the far-right group Patriot Prayer—promoted the event.

The following week, members of the Clark County Republican Party voted to censure Rep. Herrera Beutler for her vote to impeach President Trump, and two Republican challengers formally announced races for her seat—Heidi St. John and Joe Kent.

A black and white photograph of a political demonstration. Participants carry American flags and signs while standing along a roadside. Trees and buildings are visible in the background. A partially obscured handmade sign reads "Jaime Why?" Two attendees smile derisively towards the camera. A close-up black and white image of a wooden door with handwritten signs attached. The signs contain partial words and phrases, with "Silver Worth" and "ITOR" visible. The door's locked deadbolt is focused in the center of the frame. A low-angle black and white photograph of a Victorian-style house exterior. A Trump 2020 campaign flag is prominently displayed from a support column. A black and white image of a defaced street sign for a government building at 750 Anderson Street. The handwritten text on the sign reads "The Only Insurrection That Happened Is Here In PDX & Seattle", with each word underlined once. Cars and trees are visible in the background. A black and white photo of an outdoor political demonstration. Protesters hold signs and American flags, lining the street outside historic buildings. One large sign reads "J. Herrera-Beutler JUST ANOTHER RINO". A black and white photograph of two women standing in front of an informational plaque in a park-like setting. An American flag is partially visible behind them, and cars are parked in the background. The women's faces show perplexity and disgust as they read the plaque in front of them. A black and white photo of a handwritten protest sign placed on top of an informational plaque. The sign reads "Jay Danielson's Death Happened In Your Backyard But No Word From Jaime. Why? oh yeah, because youre a D.C. RAT". The word "RAT" is underlined twice. A black and white photo of a damaged and defaced roadside campaign sign leaning precariously by a chain-link fence. The signs reads "Jaime HERRERA BEUTLER CONGRESS · REPUBLICAN". The word "RINO" is spray painted in black paint across the words "Jaime HERRERA BEUTLER".

Of a handful of challengers, Kent emerged as the front-runner—garnering national attention throughout 2021 and gaining the endorsement of former president Donald Trump in 2022.

Kent went on to unseat incumbent Rep. Herrera Beutler in the 2022 primary and faced off against Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in the general election.

Throughout the race, Kent struggled to distance himself from far-right extremists and white supremacists, and his own extreme views—always on full display—helped to alienate him from moderate voters. Yet, despite his baggage, Kent was still the favorite to win.

Gluesenkamp Perez emerged late in the race, shortly before the primary. She focused on local issues—especially among rural voters—and held up a mirror to Kent's extremism. In a surprising victory, Gluesenkamp Perez held the district—becoming the first Democrat to take the seat in twelve years.

A black and white photo of a rural event center with a flatbed trailer serving as a stage. Two attendees in the foreground observe the scene, one wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat. Florida congressman Matt Gaetz stands on the flatbed trailer in the distance, flanked by campaign staff, speaking while pointing towards the audience. A black and white photo of a crowded political rally showing supporters holding flags and wearing "JOE KENT FOR CONGRESS" campaign merchandise while standing in a loosely organized line. Joe Kent stands at the front of the line, greeting supporters. Florida congressman Matt Gaetz stands to Kent's right, with security personnel surrounding them. A black and white photograph of Joe Kent in a checkered shirt surrounded by supporters at an outdoor event with industrial buildings in the background. Florida congressman Matt Gaetz stands to his right as they greet two people in front of them. A black and white photograph of event security personnel at a venue entrance with balloons visible on the outside where attendees wait to enter. A black and white photo of two groups of people facing off across a paved walkway outside a tall angular building. Joe Kent supporters hold numerous campaign signs and American flags on one side, jeering at a much smaller group opposite from them. An older man with gray hair stands out from the opposing crowd, gesturing with his middle finger at the Kent supporters; this man was called a "Nazi" by Kent supporters because of his support for Ukraine. A black and white photo of Joe Kent supporters holding campaign signs outside the overhung entrance to a tall building. The shadows from the architecture contrast with the afternoon sunlight, illuminating a "KENT AMERICA FIRST FOR CONGRESS" sign in the center of the image. A black and white photo of a group of people standing in front of vehicles and an American flag at a public event, with some individuals looking at the camera while others converse. Trees and utility wires are visible in the background. A black and white photo of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez wearing a light formal button-up shirt, seated at a table with a microphone in front of her, speaking earnestly to a crowded auditorium with the American flag standing prominently beside her. A wide-angle black and white photograph of a large crowd seated in an auditorium. A close-up of Joe Kent in a suit and tie, looking solemnly at the camera while holding a microphone at a podium. A black and white photograph of a man wearing glasses, a striped shirt, and a U.S. Air Force ball cap while sitting attentively in a crowded auditorium. A black and white photo of Joe Kent in a suit, seated at a table with a microphone, facing away from the camera. A U.S. flag stands in the background to his front, and the Washington state flag is focused in the foreground to his back. On the Washington state flag, George Washington's eyes appear to look at the camera. A black and white photo of an outdoor political event. A man in a plaid shirt and baseball cap stands with of a crowd of gesticulating Joe Kent supporters, many wearing campaign t-shirts and hats and holding signs. Trees line the street behind them. The Kent supporters surround a man wearing a face mask, his back to the camera. The back of his shirt reads, "White Americans? What? Nothing better to do? Why don't you kick yourself out? You're an immigrant too." — a quote from a lyric by The White Stripes. Another man in a baseball cap holds his arm while speaking imploringly to him. A black and white photo of an outdoor political event. A man in a plaid shirt and baseball cap gestures emphatically while speaking to several other men off-frame. Behind him, a person wearing a face mask is visible. A street banner with the letters "VAN COU VER" is partially visible in the background. A black and white photo of an outdoor political event. A man in a plaid shirt and baseball cap stands with of a crowd of jeering Joe Kent supporters arrayed behind him, some wearing campaign t-shirts and hats and holding signs. Trees line the street behind them all. The Kent supporters face a lone man wearing a face mask, his back to the camera. The back of his shirt reads, "White Americans? What? Nothing better to do? Why don't you kick yourself out?" — a quote from a lyric by The White Stripes that ends with, "You're an immigrant too." A black and white photo of a dense crowd of Joe Kent supporters holding "KENT AMERICA FIRST FOR CONGRESS" signs and American flags. A young man holding a campaign sign is caught in motion at the center of the frame, laughing smugly. A black and white photo of an elderly man with a face mask and a hat with a "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez" pin on it, sitting with his arms crossed in a crowded auditorium. A black and white photograph of two speakers at a podium during a political debate. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez looks amusedly towards the audience while Joe Kent gesticulates wildly in the foreground. An American flag is visible in the background. A black and white image of a diverse crowd at a political event. In the foreground, an older woman wearing a TRUMP campaign hat visibly smiles among the seated attendees. A black and white photo of Joe Kent seated at a table, facing Marie Gluesenkamp Perez as he speaks into a microphone. A close-up black and white photograph of a bearded man in a plaid shirt and baseball cap, surrounded by other people in a crowded auditorium. The man is smiling at the camera while stroking his beard. A black and white photograph of two seated speakers at a podium during a political debate. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez speaks into a microphone while looking intensely at Joe Kent in the foreground. A black and white image of Joe Kent wearing a suit and tie, standing between a young boy and a woman, all holding "KENT AMERICA FIRST FOR CONGRESS" signs. Kent is smiling broadly. The scene unfolds at an outdoor campaign event with trees in the background and other supporters visible. A black and white image of enthusiastic supporters at a political rally, with women in the foreground cheering and clapping energetically. A black and white image of a political event showing a suited Joe Kent engaging with supporters in a crowded indoor room. Two men are visible in the foreground, one smiling towards the other. His shirt reads "JOE KENT FOR CONGRESS". A black and white photo of an elderly man wearing a cap while standing amidst a crowd, his face partially obscured by shadows, with the sunlight highlighting the faces around him. His hat partially reads "Ridgefield" and depicts a bird in flight. A black and white photo of an indoor campaign event. A despondent man wearing a button that reads "VOTER" moves towards the camera, leaving a crowded room of seated people behind him. A stage with a podium is visible at the front of the room. Another man in a plaid shirt and baseball cap observes the scene, partially facing the camera. A black and white photograph of a crowded political rally for Joe Kent's congressional campaign. Supporters hold numerous "KENT AMERICA FIRST FOR CONGRESS" signs. American flags wave prominently, including a large one in the center. The scene is outdoors with trees and buildings visible. Supporters of various ages are present, some wearing Kent campaign t-shirts. A few people wear face masks, suggesting this is during the COVID-19 pandemic. A black and white photo of a man in a suit facing away from the camera in a crowded setting, with people around him engaged in conversation. The sunlight creates dramatic contrasts, emphasizing the back of his head and the intensity of the surrounding scene. A close-up black and white photo of a man's leather boots shows him wearing high socks featuring stars and stripes and a cartoon depiction of Donald Trump. A close-up black and white photo of a person sitting on a stage, wearing a suit with high socks featuring the American flag and an image of Donald Trump. The person's hand is raised in a "zero" or "OK" gesture. A water bottle sits on a small table beside them. A black and white photo of a man with short gray hair and a cap, facing away from the camera. He wears a black shirt with an American flag and the words "Blessed Are The Peacemakers" on the back, sitting among other attendees in a crowded auditorium. A black and white photo of a political event entrance featuring a balloon arch with stars, security personnel, and attendees. A young man in a baseball cap stands with his back to the camera; his shirt reads "I'M A PATRIOT WEAPONS ARE PART OF MY RELIGION". A black and white close-up portrait of Joe Kent wearing a suit and tie. He's surrounded by supporters, one wearing a Trump campaign hat partially visible in the foreground. A black and white photograph of two speakers at a podium during a political debate. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez smiles as Joe Kent speaks into a microphone in the foreground. A vandalized "KENT AMERICA FIRST FOR CONGRESS" campaign sign with the name partially obscured by dark spray paint. A single letter "Z" is spray painted on top of Kent's name and slogan. The letter “Z” was a symbol displayed on Russian military vehicles during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and in Russian propaganda. Kent and his supporters had previously faced backlash from the local Ukrainian community over support for Russia.