Braun took drug industry money, opposed lower health care costs

Washington state Sen. John Braun has received large donations from the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries over the course of his political career. He also voted against efforts to make health care more affordable.

Braun is now running for the U.S. House seat in the state’s 3rd District that is currently occupied by Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.

Campaign finance records show that Braun has taken $73,550 from pharmaceutical companies since 2012 and $37,400 from the health insurance industry. About 10% of all donations made to Braun have come from these two sectors.

In 2022, Braun was in lockstep with the pharmaceutical industry when he opposed a bipartisan bill establishing Washington’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board. The board evaluates the cost of certain medications and can set limits on what individuals, state agencies, and insurers pay.

The AARP said the board “could lead to lower insurance premiums, reduce taxpayer spending on health care, and would help ensure people can afford the medication they need.” Affordability boards have been criticized by PhRMA, a trade group representing the pharmaceutical industry that donated to Braun in 2015 and 2016.

A similar dynamic played out a year earlier when Braun opposed a bill allowing Washington to buy, manufacture, and distribute generic versions of popular medications that are cheaper than their name-brand alternatives.

A year before that, in 2020, Braun opposed a bill that allowed the state to bulk-buy insulin and provide it to patients at a discounted rate. He also opposed a bill requiring health insurers in Washington to cover pre-existing conditions.

Despite this record, Braun insists that affordability and lowering costs are his top priorities. In June, he criticized Gluesenkamp Perez for voting against “the largest tax cut in history,” even though that tax cut disproportionately benefits the wealthy and is paid for with a $1 trillion cut to Medicaid.

Health care costs are expected to be a major issue in the 2026 race. A June 2026 Gallup poll found that Americans’ ability to afford health care is at a five-year low.

 Braun’s campaign has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.