U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who represents Southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, thinks fellow Democrat President Joe Biden will lose to former President Donald Trump in November after struggling in last week’s presidential debate, she said in an interview with Portland, Oregon TV station KATU-TV.

While Gluesenkamp Perez did not call on Biden to drop out of the race, she said the president’s lackluster performance cost him.

“About 50 million Americans tuned in and watched that debate,” she said in the interview. “I was one of them for about five very painful minutes. We all saw what we saw, you can’t undo that, and the truth I think, is that Biden is going to lose to Trump. I know that’s difficult, but I think the damage has been done by that debate.”

The full interview will be broadcast Sunday.

Gluesenkamp Perez pulled off a political upset in 2022, knocking off Donald Trump-endorsed Republican Joe Kent and swinging a red district blue.

2024 WA Election | Local Politics

Her assertion adds to the mounting pressure on the Biden administration following the presidential debate on CNN last Thursday.

On Tuesday, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas became the first Democrat in Congress to call on Biden to exit the race, saying in a statement he should “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.”

Last week, amid growing concerns, the president insisted he will stay in the race.

Material from The Associated Press was included in this report.

Caitlyn Freeman: cfreeman@seattletimes.com;